Dying Winds
by KaitouKiwi
Summary: Sequel to Damaging Winds. Laurie is desperately searching for a way to restore her lost memories, but that is not the only factor of her life that is different. There's a girl who is hunting her for reasons that aren't clear. As an ancient adversary grows stronger, it is up to the ninja to prepare for the greatest battle they have ever faced, even if it results in death. KaiXOC?
1. Bonding Time

**Hey, it's Kiwi! So, yeah, this is the final installment of my "Winds" series as I've been referring to it. I feel like three is a really good number. If you haven't read either of the first two then I would highly recommend it because you're really not going to understand what's happening too much. Here's chapter one, hope you enjoy it. :)**

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Chapter One: Bonding Time 

Her reflection looked just as confused as she felt. Laurie was staring at herself in the mirror, her freckled nose crinkled with concentration. There was a small photograph of Kai taped to the lower left corner of the reflective glass. The red head stared at it, trying to remember anything about the red ninja. A small pain was beginning to emerge just behind her forehead, the start of a larger headache that would undoubtedly follow. With a sigh, Laurie ripped the photograph off of the mirror and placed it on the edge of the sink.

This was what she did every morning now, just locked herself in the bathroom and tried to remember. She glanced at herself once more, a frown forming on her pale face. Why was this not working? Laurie thought that if she just tried to concentrate on her and Kai the memories would come flooding back, but they remained lost. The orange ninja leaned her elbows on the hard, plastic sink. Her gaze drifted down towards the photograph.

Kai was smiling, a facial expression that was not seen often now. He was leaning back on the wooden railing of the Destiny's Bounty, his spiky brunet hair casting shadows across his face in the high noon sun. There was a golden sword slung over his right shoulder, a gloved hand grasping the hilt. Laurie had never seen him wield this weapon before. The Sword of Fire was now just one of the weapons that had been combined to form the Mega Weapon, Lord Garmadon's current weapon of choice.

Laurie bit down slightly on the inside of her cheek. This was all her father's fault. If he had not used the Mega Weapon to summon Belinda, an ancient Serpentine deity, from the Underworld then maybe she would still remember Kai. She stood up straight, abruptly lifting the bottom of her t-shirt. A long, jagged scar ran across the entirety of her abdomen. The skin around the healed wound was still light red and puffy, but the doctor had informed her that it had healed nicely. Laurie lowered her shirt and took a few steps backwards. Her back hit the white wall and she slid down to the floor.

She could remember the intense pain she had been in when Belinda had attacked her back on the Black Bounty. There were the nightmares Laurie had every night, reminding her of the events that had occurred while she was prisoner and her fight with Belinda. Images of Pythor, the Serpentine goddess, and even her own father raced through her subconscious when she slept. Yet she still remembered these awful events and not the one individual that, apparently, used to matter to her.

Letting out a long sigh, the teenager brought her knees in close to her chest and placed her head in her hands. Kai, he had apparently been her boyfriend. That was what the others continued to tell her. Laurie had to admit, he was very attractive, but his personality conflicted with her own. They were both stubborn and often butted heads. Maybe it had not always been that way, back when she remembered.

A soft knock rapped on the wooden door. Laurie lifted her head up slowly, noticing the glistening pools of tears that coated her hands. She had not even realized that she had started crying. "Who is it?" the orange ninja asked, leaning her head back against the wall in defeat. This was her life now, one that seemed complete but apparently was not.

"It's Nya" came a voice, slightly muffled by the door. "Zane finished making breakfast if you want to come out and have some."

Laurie's stomach gave a sickening growl that she was sure Kai's sister had heard. The girl stood, procuring the single photograph from the sink and gazing at it once more. "I'll be out in a second" she said absentmindedly. The sound of retreating footsteps was obvious as Laurie shoved the photograph into her jean pocket and opened the bathroom door.

The dining room table was full. Cole was engaged in a conversation with Jay, the black ninja leaning back slightly in his chair. The front two legs wavered near the wooden floor, but never made contact. Lloyd's forehead was pressed down firmly on the table, his breathing shallow. He had never been much of a morning person and Laurie could not help but laugh at her younger brother. She leaned on the back of his chair and ruffled his light blonde hair with her right hand. "Wake up sleepyhead" the orange ninja chuckled.

Lloyd sputtered, sitting up quickly. The back of his head made contact with Laurie's and the two siblings grunted in pain. "Well I'm awake now" the green ninja complained, his hand finding a small knot that had formed from the collision. He turned to face Laurie, her eyes shut tightly as she rubbed her forehead furiously. Maybe that jolt had knocked some sense back into her.

Ignoring the comment from Lloyd, the orange ninja made her way over to the empty chair that sat adjacent to Kai. He eyed her wearily, giving a small sigh when Laurie gingerly pulled the seat away from the table. It squeaked slightly against the wooden floor. "Good morning" Laurie said with a small smile. Kai's gaze made her feel slightly uncomfortable and she began to awkwardly rub her left arm with her right hand. "Um…how's your day going so far?"

Kai could feel the girl's unease and he let out a slow breath. It had not gotten much easier, living with Laurie. Yes, she had started talking with him once again, even asking on occasion to tell her things that they used to do together. This was all too much for the red ninja. He had grown distant not only from Laurie, but from everyone else as well. "Day just started" he replied plainly, leaning his elbows on the wooden table. "It'll probably be better once I eat some breakfast."

As if on cue, the smell of pancakes and bacon wafted through the air. Zane approached with a large platter in his hands. It was adorned with piles of breakfast items that made Laurie's mouth water. Her stomach cried out once more, drudging out a few chuckles from Jay. "It sounds like you haven't eaten anything in days" he teased, his hazel eyes smiling. Laurie gave a sheepish grin and shrugged her shoulders as Zane placed the platter in the middle of the table.

"Breakfast is served" the nindroid stated plainly, backing away to give Nya access to the table. She set down a pile of plates in front of Kai who eyed them suspiciously. Taking one of the white, ceramic discs off of the top, the red ninja passed the pile off to his right. His hand brushed Laurie's for a second as she grabbed for the plates and the two quickly broke apart, facing different directions. Oblivious to this, Zane took his place at the dining room table across from Lloyd, draping his pink, floral apron on the back of his chair. "Well, please help yourself".

Jay practically dove for the platter, a fork gripped tightly in his right hand. "You don't have to tell me twice" he chuckled, stabbing through two pancakes with the utensil and throwing them on to his plate. Everyone began eating; the room falling silent.

Nya glanced over at Jay, blushing slightly as she watched him eat with a smile spread across his face. Her chocolate brown gaze fell upon her brother who had only eaten a few bites of his pancakes and was now pushing bacon across his plate with his fork. She felt bad for Kai, noticing how his behavior had changed since Laurie had lost her memories. He seemed more closed off and somber than he usually was. It was hard, seeing him act like this, but Nya knew that he could not help it. With a sigh, the girl tucked some of her short, black hair behind her right ear and pushed the plate in front of her away.

"Is everything alright, Nya?" the blue ninja asked, his mouth full.

The samurai gave a small chuckle at the sight of Jay's manners. She would have to have a talk with him about that later. "Everything is fine" she replied, looking around the table warily. All of the ninja were now giving her their undivided attention. "I was just thinking that maybe Laurie and I could go out shopping later. You know, have a girl's day out." Maybe if she could get the orange ninja out of the apartment for a little while then it would give Kai some time to relax.

Laurie grinned, the skin near her eyes crinkling slightly. She could never recall ever going out shopping, not even with her mother. The two had always been traveling to and from a variety of excavation sites, too busy to partake in normal activities like shopping. With a slight blush adorning her cheeks, Laurie nodded. "I'd love to go out today" she practically squealed, her excitement obvious. "Could we go after breakfast?"

"We can go out after breakfast if you want to" Nya said with a warm smile. She had not thought that Laurie would be this excited to go out. It was a good bonding opportunity for the two of them. Nya had always wanted to get to know Laurie a little better. "Where would you want to go?"

Zane stared absentmindedly at the full plate in front of him, his attention somewhere else. The conversation around him was no more than faint noise, similar to the soft sound of a hummingbird's wings. He felt as if something was off; a small, foreboding spark in the back of his mind. The sixth sense that Zane had been built with continued to distract him. It was acting up, warning him of danger that was never there. The nindroid gave a small sigh, hoping that this was not a malfunction that was suddenly plaguing him.

He turned his dark blue eyes on the window that lay on the opposite side of the room. It faced a brick wall and the blinds that adorned it were broken and crooked. As Zane looked outside he noticed that there was absolutely nothing there, but he had just felt a presence lurking near it. What was wrong with him? This had been occurring for the past month, but he had kept it from his brothers. If the white ninja was, indeed, experiencing a malfunction he did not want them to know.

"You okay, buddy?" Cole asked, his hand on Zane's shoulder. The nindroid looked up suddenly, blinking quickly. He gave a nod that seemed to set his friend at ease. "Alright then, just making sure." Zane gave the black ninja a smile before turning his attention back towards the window. He could have sworn something had been over in that area.

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Her breathing was labored and quick as she plastered herself to the concrete. Rhea had been peeking into the window of the small, ground floor apartment when that white ninja quickly turned towards her. She crawled away, the knee of her right pant leg scrapping along the uneven surface. With a frown, the young girl stood up and brushed her jeans off. Dozens of people traversed the street Rhea stood in now, a perfect place to blend in. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her light purple windbreaker and began walking across the street.

That one ninja continued to keep Rhea on her toes, always seeming to know where she was. It was difficult to properly tail her target if she constantly had to hide. A strong gust of wind blew from behind the girl, wrapping her long, blue hair around her neck. With a deep frown, Rhea threw her hair back over her shoulders before deciding to loiter outside of an ice cream parlor. The front door of the ninja's apartment was still in view.

It had been a month since her "father" had told her to eliminate the girl with the red hair. Time continued to tick away and Rhea's anxiety was rising. How long would it be before she was chastised for her prolonged surveillance of the girl? Usually by now the girl's target would have been long gone, missed but not forgotten. It was almost impossible to find an opportunity to take care of the red head. She was always surrounded by those other ninja, never alone.

"Are you lost, sweetie?" came a soft voice. Rhea looked up to see an elderly woman gazing at her from behind a pair of thick spectacles. The girl raised an eyebrow and shook her head back and forth vigorously. "Are you sure?" the woman continued, pulling her salmon colored shawl tighter around her arms. "Where are your parents?"

A pang of sadness and guilt struck Rhea's heart. Her parents, they had been dead for over seven years now. With narrowed eyes the young girl just shrugged her shoulders and attempted to leave, but the elderly stranger placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe if you tell me your name I could help you look for them, see if any one of these fine people knows who you are."

Rhea's dark brown eyes widened and she swallowed hard. Her thin fingers lightly grazed the raised, star-shaped mark that lay near her right eye. With a palpating heart, Rhea shrugged the woman's hand off of her shoulder and sprinted down the street. She ducked down a nearby alleyway and pushed her back against the eroding bricks and mortar. The woman wandered by, but did not venture down the secluded alley. Rhea let out a breath and felt her muscles relax. That had been a close call, but now she no longer had her target in her sights.

"We can just wander around until you find some place you want to look in, okay?"

Still plastered to the brick wall, Rhea watched as two individuals slowly made their way past the alley. One had jet black hair that rested just above her shoulders. She was dressed in an embellished red tank top and black pants. The other person was wearing a plain orange t-shirt and jean shorts. Her red hair blew behind her as she walked. "That sounds fine to me" she answered, referring to the question that had been previously posed.

It was as if fate was taking pity on her. Rhea watched in awe as the very individual she was supposed to assassinate just walked right by her. Cautiously, she poked her head out of the alleyway and watched as the two teenage girls continued to walk straight down the sidewalk. Shoving her slightly shaking hands back into her pockets, Rhea began to follow the pair. She stayed far enough back as to not be noticed, yet she kept them in her line of vision. Attempting to eliminate someone was much easier when they only had one other person with them.

All Rhea had to do now was figure out how to get the red head away from her companion.

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**Was it okay? I've been on a rollercoaster while writing this, nervous that it's not turning out as well as I want it to. Well, I'll be updating on Tuesdays and Fridays as requested by those who voted on my poll. I'm off to do whatever it is that college kids do when it's their birthday: oh yeah, classes and tutoring.**

**Have a great day~**


	2. Shopping, Snakes, and Saliva

**It's Friday which means that it is time for another update! :D**

**I just wanted to take this opportunity to say that I do not own Ninjago or any of the characters from Ninjago. I only own Laurie and Rhea. Also, I wanted to give a big thank you to Pebble900 who kind of dedicated the publishing of her story "When One Divides" as a birthday present towards me and some other people. That was really nice, thank you. :3**

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Chapter Two: Shopping, Snakes, and Saliva

Laurie inhaled deeply, staring down at the dress that adorned her thin frame. It was a flaming red hue that seemed to glow in the bright, fluorescent lights of the dressing room; only slightly darker than her own hair color. The subtle embellishments that were sewn into the bodice sparkled every time she moved. Feeling self conscious, Laurie pushed the spaghetti straps farther up her shoulders, practically up to her neck, and tried to pull the bottom of the dress down further. It rested just below her knees, but the orange ninja felt as if it were too short. She was not used to wearing anything like this.

"Are you done yet?" Nya asked. Her tone was chipper and slightly impatient. Laurie could tell that Kai's sister was thoroughly enjoying herself. Despite the excitement that had previously consumed her at breakfast, Laurie felt awkward. Yes, she enjoyed looking at the different articles of clothing that were available for purchase, but trying them on was entirely different. Especially when it was a dress that Nya had picked out for her. "If you're done getting dressed you should come out and show me what it looks like."

Fear gripped the orange ninja's heart as she continued to examine herself in the mirror and adjust the bottom of her dress. It puffed outwards due to the extra layer of black, mesh-like material underneath. The puffy skirt twirled as Laurie turned, unwilling to face Nya. She grasped the metal doorknob of the dressing room and turned it, exiting her safe haven.

Nya immediately gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. Laurie looked absolutely beautiful in the dress, though she did not seem particularly comfortable. Despite her pale complexion, the bright dress seemed to fit the orange ninja. The samurai watched as Laurie tugged at the bottom of the dress and almost slid across the tiled floor in her black socks. "You look amazing, Laurie" Nya smiled wide, clasping her hands behind her back.

"I don't feel amazing" Laurie muttered, stepping up carefully onto a slightly raised platform that sat in front of three mirrors. The bright, industrial lights in the ceiling shown down on her and she squinted, raising her right hand in an attempt to block them out. She gazed at herself once more, really taking in the red dress that currently clothed her body. All Laurie could think about was Kai, his light brown eyes sad and distant. She shuddered slightly and felt like she was going to throw up. "I look like a clown".

With a frown, the orange ninja hopped off of the circular platform and bolted back into the dressing room, accidentally slamming the door behind her. Laurie leaned backwards and felt the hard metal of the doorknob against her spine. Her reflection gazed back at her, seemingly terrified. All she could think about was Kai. If he was always on her mind than why was she not able to remember him like she used to? She had been told that he had not always been so melancholy and reserved, but that was all she knew. Laurie wished more than anything else to remember a time when he used to smile; when they were both happy together.

Frustrated, Laurie unzipped the side of the dress and stepped out, quickly changing back into her normal attire. After slipping her sneakers back on, the orange ninja procured the dress from the floor and carefully placed it back on the hanger it came on. She exited the dressing room with the dress in tow and was about to place it on the nearest garment rack when Nya stopped her. "Laurie, you looked so good in that dress. I want to buy it for you."

"Why?" Laurie asked nervously, her skin feeling slightly clammy. "I really didn't look all that great in it. Red is definitely not my color…" Her wavering voice trailed off slightly as her ice blue eyes met Nya's gaze. Laurie could tell that the samurai was being both kind and serious. "I mean, yeah, it fit nice, but I don't wear dresses. It's not really my thing, you know?"

Nya grabbed the dress from Laurie, a smirk playing on the edge of her lips. "It could be your thing" she teased, draping the garment over her right arm. Laurie looked so scared and her skin seemed paler than usual, almost as if she were sick. "You may not know it, but red is a color that looks good on you. I hope you realize that." Then she turned away from Laurie and slowly made her way to the register. "Consider it a gift from me to you" Nya finished, her raised voice startling the absentminded cashier.

"Yeah, well, I'll be waiting outside then" Laurie yelled, shoving her hands into her pants pockets. She really needed some fresh air to clear her head. What would Kai think if he ever saw her in that dress? Had they ever been out together wearing semi-formal clothing like that before? Her mind reeled and raced through different scenarios that were all fictional as she tried to recall anything about her past relationship. Laurie bumped into someone and broke her trance. A young girl looked up at her, long blue hair tied back with some clips. "I'm really sorry" the orange ninja quickly apologized, rushing past the girl to get outside.

The crisp city air had never felt so welcoming. Laurie breathed it in and leaned back against the outer wall of the boutique she had just emerged from. Why was it that something as innocent as "girl bonding" had turned into an absolutely awful time? The orange ninja sighed and felt a strong gust of wind blow past her. She hugged her arms tightly, taken aback by the sudden chill of the air.

_Danger is approaching. Please make haste…_

Laurie straightened her posture and glanced around the area warily. The wind had not spoken to her since she had attempted to escape from the Black Bounty. Her immediate surroundings seemed to be clear though, so what danger was there to worry about? On edge, the orange ninja walked towards a small alley that lay off to the right of the sidewalk. She kept her gaze down on the concrete, examining the plethora of cracks and crevices that adorned it. There was someone in the alley; Laurie could hear a voice drifting on the slight breeze. With narrowed eyes she gazed around the corner and inhaled sharply.

Skales was actively engaged in a conversation with Fangtom who currently stood with his arms crossed over his chest, just listening. Laurie strained to hear yet still remain out of sight. A large dumpster sat near the intersection of the main street and the alley, a gap between it and the alley wall. Quietly, the orange ninja ducked behind it and made herself as small as possible. She could not see what was happening now, but at least she could hear.

"Pythor may have betrayed us, but we can still attempt to kidnap the Garmadon brats on our own" Laurie heard Skales hiss. She held her breath while hugging her legs to her chest. "Yes, we have failed in the past, but I have a feeling that this time we will succeed with our plan." Laurie now knelt on the concrete, feeling the small pebbles digging into the bare skin of her shins and knees. She had to go find Nya so they could go back and warn the others that the Generals were planning an attack.

A loud bang reverberated through the small alley and Laurie's eyes widened. She had gotten to her feet without realizing it and had lost her balance, her right shoulder making contact with the hard, grey metal of the dumpster. Laurie was crouched down, rubbing her aching shoulder furiously and hoping beyond hope that neither of the serpents had heard her. Everything went silent and the orange ninja was beginning to think that both Skales and Fangtom had left.

"Look what I've found" laughed a familiar voice, his Romanian accent evident. Laurie turned to her right and saw Fangtom eyeing her, both heads showing fangs. Without thinking, the orange ninja lunged to her left, scrambling out from behind the dumpster and trying to run back towards the boutique. She was without a weapon and still had not completely mastered Spinjitzu. Suddenly there were scaly hands on Laurie's arms, pulling her backwards. She leaned forward, trying to break away from the grip, but lost her footing and was dragged back into the alley. "What luck, Skales! It seems that one of them came to us."

Laurie was yanked upwards by her arms, feeling her shoulders twisting. With gritted teeth she sent a kick into Fangtom's tail, but felt all the energy drain from her body when his grip only tightened. Her breathing was labored when Skales slithered into her line of view. "Thank you for saving us the trouble of trying to take you from the ninja. That's one less brat to worry about." His lips pulled up into a menacing smile and Laurie attempted to shake off Fangtom yet again.

"I'm actually out with someone" the orange ninja challenged, her jaw set and eyes narrowed. "If I just disappear than they'll know something is up. The others wouldn't let Lloyd out of their sight anyways. You'll have just me, sorry to disappoint you." This threat did not seem to faze the Hypnobrai General who just crossed his arms over his chest. Laurie's gaze fell upon the street that lay only feet away. If she could just get away long enough to find Nya…

Someone leaned out from behind a wall, big eyes locking with Laurie's. The orange ninja immediately recognized the individual as the girl she had bumped into while leaving the boutique. Why was she here right now? Laurie shook her head slightly, trying to get the girl to go away. It did not work. The girl inched her way forward, getting closer to Skales. "Look at this, Skales" Laurie heard Fangtom say. "We have another uninvited guest."

The Hypnobrai General turned to see the small, blue haired girl and gave a laugh. "Are you the cavalry?" he asked sarcastically, finding nothing but humor in this situation. He turned back towards Laurie who was struggling harder to get away from the Fangpyre. "Is this the 'someone' you were referring to? She's a pipsqueak, nothing more. We'll take her with us as well."

"No" the orange ninja breathed, her heart fluttering in her chest. The last thing she wanted was for this poor girl to be dragged into her business. "She's just a little girl!" Laurie turned her attention towards the stranger who was pulling the twin clips out of her hair. "You have to run! Go and get out of here!" With disdain, the orange ninja watched as the girl frowned deeply. There seemed to be an unfathomable hatred reflected in her dark brown eyes.

She gripped a hair clip in each hand, jabbing her index fingers through a small hole in each. They glinted in the low light, the parts that had been hidden in her hair. Laurie recognized them as small blades. The girl leapt forward, using the curved blade in her left hand to rake Skales across the back. He cried out and turned around just as the young girl jumped up, digging the weapon in her right hand between the snake's shoulder blades. Skales backed up into Laurie, throwing the small blade to the ground.

Laurie grinned, leaning back against Fangtom and using his support to lift both of her feet into the air. She kicked Skales in the back, laughing slightly as the Hypnobrai stumbled forward. Sprawled out on the ground, he looked up at the small girl who gripped her remaining blade tightly in her left hand. She brought it down vertically, sighing when Skales rolled to the side. The curved metal struck the ground, making her entire arm shake.

Unsteadily getting up, Skales glanced back at Fangtom nervously. "Release the girl" he growled, edging away from the blue-haired stranger. "I'd rather live to fight another day." With narrowed eyes, the Fangpyre General pushed Laurie to the concrete. She tried to break her fall with her hands, but only managed to scrape them up. Blood smeared across her pale skin as she watched the two serpents retreat in the opposite direction, ducking through a large hole in a chain link fence.

With an exasperated breath, the orange ninja grabbed for the small, curved blade that lay next to her. It had been a miracle that she had bumped into someone that was armed. Laurie stared at herself in the lightly blood-coated weapon. She had never seen any blade like this before, so small and easily disguised. The girl behind her was visible in the reflection, holding her left arm out steadily and swinging the blade in her possession horizontally.

Laurie ducked suddenly, holding her breath as she felt the displaced air blow her hair around. She rolled forward suddenly before turning to face her attacker. "Hey, I'm not trying to hurt you" Laurie snapped, getting to her feet quickly. She held the unusual weapon in her right hand like a dagger. The blade curved upwards, looking awkward. "Thanks for helping me, honestly, but I'm not the bad guy. Those snakes are the bad guys."

The girl pursed her lips and charged forward, sweeping her weapon horizontally yet again. Laurie jumped backwards slightly, watching as the blade caught the material of her t-shirt. It ripped and the orange ninja could almost feel the pain of Cole's scythe in her abdomen once more. She fell to her knees, still gripping the girl's weapon. "Why are you doing this?" Laurie yelled, watching as the strange girl came at her again.

Blades collided and the sound of metal against metal echoed through the alley. Laurie got to one knee, both hands tightly gripping the tiny hilt of the weapon. The girl was stronger than she thought, pushing hard to sink her blade into Laurie. Sweat began beading on the orange ninja's head as she watched the end of the enemy's blade creep closer to her throat. It was a losing battle and Laurie used her bent knee to launch herself backwards.

A small grunt of effort escaped the girl's lips as she fell forward, her face making contact with the concrete. The blade in her left hand skittered across the ground and Laurie quickly procured it. The girl stood up, wiping the blood that oozed from a small cut on her cheek with the back of her hand. With disdain she realized that she was no longer in possession of her weapons. She widened her stance, bringing her fists up in front of her chest. There was no need for weapons. Rhea would take the girl out with her bare hands.

There were hands gripping her shoulders now and Rhea looked up in shock to see the red head's companion frowning. "What in Ninjago is going on here?" she asked sternly, chocolate brown eyes narrowed. Never had Rhea felt so helpless or scared. It seemed that her "father" had nothing on this girl. She could feel her body shaking with pure fear. "Don't want to talk, do you?" Nya continued, grabbing Rhea's left wrist with one hand. Rhea pulled against the black-haired girl, but could not get free from her iron grip.

"She saved me from Skales and Fangtom" Laurie answered, approaching the pair. She held both of the girl's weapons in her right hand. "Then she started attacking me. It was like she wanted to kill me or something!" The orange ninja looked down at the blue-haired girl who was staring daggers. Why was this strange, little girl trying to hurt her? Without warning, the girl spit at Laurie who gave an enraged cry. "Do you see this, Nya? She hates me for some reason!" With a mocking face, Laurie handed over the blood coated weapons to Nya who threw them in her purse.

Rhea tried to reach for them, but Kai's sister yanked hard on her wrist. "We'll just have to take her back to the apartment with us then. Maybe she'll feel like talking then." With wide eyes and a palpitating heart, Rhea was reluctantly dragged out of the alley and down the street. Not only had she failed in successfully killing the red-head, but she was now in the hands of the enemy.

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**Was this chapter okay? I love reading reviews so if you truly are enjoying this story I'd like to hear from you. Thank you to everyone who has already followed/favorite this story. It honestly surprised me and I really appreciate it. See you guys Tuesday for another update! :D**

**P.S. The picture of Rhea wasn't drawn by me. Xion98 drew it for me a few months ago so all of the credit goes to her.**


	3. Rope and No Hope

**Well, it's Tuesday so it's time for another update. Please enjoy. :3**

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Chapter Three: Rope and No Hope

"So she saved you and then attacked you?" Cole was leaning back against the wall near the bathroom, brushing his dark bangs out of his face. His amber eyes fell upon the single chair that sat in the middle of the room. A young girl had been tied to it with thick rope. She looked both frightened and peeved, but the black ninja did not blame her. It was not every day that you were taken to a house and questioned by strangers.

Laurie straddled a seat near the dining room table, draping her arms over the back. She now wore an orange tank top, changing out of the ripped garment she had arrived home in. "Yeah, but you should have seen her with those weapons. I wouldn't be surprised if Skales and the other Generals never showed their faces around here again." A small chuckle escaped Laurie's lips as she thought of the Generals cowering in fear of a small girl. "In all seriousness though, she's got some fight in her. Maybe even too much for her own good." Her ice blue eyes locked with the girl's who rudely stuck her tongue out at Laurie.

There was the sound of rhythmic banging that filled the room. Lloyd was sitting down on the green comforter of his bed, kicking both feet back and forth. They hit the wooden bed frame, but he did not seem to notice. His attention was solely on the girl who appeared to be around his age. "Do you talk?" the green ninja asked, jumping to his feet. He slowly approached the chair, noticing the girl eyeing him wearily. "It's okay if you don't, we just want to know what's going through your mind."

Rhea looked up at the boy, her brown eyes sad. She was very scared, being surrounded by all of these strangers. With nervous energy coursing through her body, the young girl attempted to move her arms even the slightest. The rope was extremely tight. She glanced over at the white ninja, the one who had been given her trouble for the past month. He sure had tied her up tight. Rhea gave a small sigh before turning her attention back towards the red head.

This was all her fault, trying to fight back. Never had a target been so difficult or stubborn before. Rhea could feel utter hatred welling up inside of her small body. "Do you see the way she looks at me?" she heard the red head say, gesturing wildly. "This girl does not like me at all guys. I know I bumped into her while I was out, but I don't think that's a justifiable reason to want to kill someone."

"Who are you?" came a harsh voice, making Rhea feel insignificant. Her eyes quickly darted over to an individual she had not previously seen before. He wore a red sweatshirt, his hands shoved deep into the conjoined pocket of the garment. Dark brown hair was spiked up in all directions and the aura of hostility that wafted off of him was rivaling that of Rhea's "father". She gulped, watching helplessly as he slowly approached. "Who are you?" Kai repeated, now standing next to Lloyd. The blonde boy took a small step to his left, expanding the distance between himself and the red ninja.

With a fluttering heart, Rhea attempted to sink even lower into the chair, but the rope prevented this maneuver. An ice cold sensation gripped at her heart as the angry individual in front of her waited for an answer to his question; an answer that she could not give. Was there any chance of escape? Her mind wandered, trying to formulate any possible scenario that would result in freedom, but she found none. All Rhea could do was sit.

Kai narrowed his light brown eyes and gave a frustrated cry. "This isn't working! She isn't saying anything!" He rubbed his temples furiously, alleviating the slight tension headache that was beginning to form. Of course his relationship with Laurie was beyond repair at this moment in time. Even though she was trying to remember what used to be, Kai's heart was still broken. It ached every time he looked at her. Even so, he was not going to allow anyone to harm her, not even a little girl.

"Just try and be patient" Jay sighed, pulling out one of the seats next to Laurie. She glanced over at the blue ninja as the squeaking of the chair against the floor panels erupted throughout the room. With a sheepish grin, he decided to continue. "It's not like she's going anywhere" the Ninja of Lightning chuckled. "You know…because she's tied up…"

They were more stubborn than she had anticipated. As much as the situation was frightening and uncomfortable, Rhea decided she could play the game as well. She was just going to keep her mouth closed and wait until the enemy was exasperated. Then she would be released, free to move around the city as she pleased.

"We can't keep her here forever. Her family is probably worried about her."

Overwhelming and crushing sadness threatened to break the stone wall that protected Rhea's heart. She could almost feel the stinging tears behind her eyes, a sensation that had been absent for years. Rhea glanced over at the boy in green, the one who had spoken. Their eyes met and she could see the shadow of disappointment that lay beneath the surface of his emerald irises. Had he lost his family as well? Without realizing it, Rhea shook her head back and forth slightly, sky blue bangs falling into her eyes.

Lloyd raised an eyebrow before glancing over at Kai. The red ninja seemed just as surprised as he did. "So, you don't think your family is worried about you?" Lloyd asked carefully, his tone soft. His thoughts drifted back to a particular night on the Destiny's Bounty. The ninja had just taken him in after a fit of rebellion with Pythor at Darkley's School for Bad Boys. Sensei Wu had just concluded a story about serpents and how duplicitous they could be. He left, leaving the door open slightly. Lloyd could still remember the advice his Uncle had given his brothers. _The best way to defeat your enemy is to make them your friend._ He watched as the young girl's complexion became paler and she averted her gaze to the ground.

Laurie could see her brother seemingly staring off into space. It was obvious that he was thinking about something. She crossed her arms on the back of the chair and rested her chin lightly on them. Then Laurie felt her eyes widen when Lloyd walked behind the back of the girl's chair and began tugging at the knots. "Whoa, what do you think you're doing?" the orange ninja asked. She could feel every muscle in her body tense up.

"What's she going to do?" Lloyd replied, voice strained. The knot had been tied extremely tight and he could barely get a grip on to it, let alone attempt to undo it. "Zane has her weapons and she's in the home of six ninja and a samurai." His fingers slipped in between a slightly loose section of the fraying rope and Lloyd pulled hard, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead in miniscule drops. The feeling of accomplishment coursed through his veins as he felt the rope fall away from the girl.

The air in the room felt heavier, tension absolutely palpable. Laurie was holding her breath, one eye closed tightly. She was preparing for the girl to attack or bolt for the door, but she remained in the chair. Her brown eyes were wide and darted around the room quickly. The orange ninja assumed that she was just as surprised by Lloyd's actions as the rest of them. "What if she tries to do something?" Laurie whispered, but it echoed through the silent room. No one moved.

Rhea felt as if she could not breathe. Perhaps freedom was not what she needed. The ropes had almost acted like a barrier against the strangers and she saw that now that she was free. Cautiously, she jumped to her feet, but felt a rough hand grab her upper arm. It was the spiky haired guy, his eyes seemingly ablaze with hatred. "Zane, tie her back up" he stated plainly, his iron grip painful. Rhea watched as the white ninja, apparently Zane, slowly started to make his way towards her.

"No guys. The best way to defeat your enemy is to make them your friend!" It was the boy again, talking utter nonsense. Rhea rolled her eyes. The best way to defeat your enemy was to kill them obviously. Her thoughts drifted back to the red head, only feet away. If only she had her weapons this would be a great opportunity to just finish the job and escape. "Uncle told you guys that and it worked. Let's try it again."

Surprisingly, Rhea felt the red ninja's hand release her. Her mind was racing, telling her to run, but she stayed rooted on the spot for some reason. She was face to face with the boy now, his emerald eyes smiling. "I'm Lloyd" he grinned, holding out a single hand. Rhea's first instinct was to grab his arm and throw him across the room, but that would probably just get her tied up again. No, she had to play calm in order to get out. Reluctantly, she extended her right hand and shook his. The gesture was extremely awkward and uncomfortable. Rhea let go just as quickly, shaking slightly. "So, what's your name?" he finished, crossing his arms over his chest.

Her name? Rhea opened her mouth and closed it quickly, her heart hammering against her chest. With a quivering hand, the girl made a fist and moved it sporadically back and forth. Kai and Lloyd just stared at her, their faces blank and confused. "I believe she would like a writing utensil" Zane piped in, his voice even. Rhea nodded, happy to know that there was at least someone who was competent enough to pick up on what she wanted.

Cole ran over to a chest of drawers that lay idly near the kitchenette. He yanked on one of the wooden knobs and procured a small pad of paper and a pen. With a neutral expression, he handed the items to Rhea who just blinked slowly. She flipped open the pad, listening as the paper rustled along the spiral binding. The click of the pen seemed to echo throughout the room before Rhea slowly wrote something down. With a sigh, the girl turned to paper towards Lloyd who had to squint to see the tiny, sloppy print.

_Rhea_.

The single word seemed to alleviate most of the tension in the room. Lloyd felt both relieved and annoyed. So if they had just given her something to write with earlier they could have avoided the waves of frustration that came with her lack of communication. "Okay, Rhea" the green ninja replied, lightly pushing the pad back towards her. "So, you can't talk?"

He watched as Rhea bit her lip and pushed her bangs out of her face, thin fingers lingering over the small, star-shaped mark near her right eye. How had he not noticed that previously? Was it a birthmark? The scratching sound of the pen tip on the lined paper brought Lloyd back to reality. She was still writing, something longer this time. Rhea held the pad out to Lloyd and relinquished her hold on it as he grasped it with both hands.

_No, I don't talk. _The small print bounced all over the paper, having no rhyme or reason to its placement. It was as if she did not write often. Each letter was askew, some landing on the lines while others floated oddly in between the white spaces. The message continued though, halfway down the page. _I know your name and you know mine. Can I leave now? _Lloyd's face fell.

"What's she saying?" Laurie asked, refusing to leave her current spot at the table. She was afraid that if she approached Rhea there would be a fight, but her curiosity was so great. The one thought that lay heaviest on Laurie's mind was why? Why did Rhea save her only to attack her? "Come on, Lloyd. What's she saying?"

Kai craned his neck in an attempt to read the paper. His eyebrows rose suddenly as he glanced back at Rhea. "You think just because you told us your name you can leave?" disbelief was obvious in his tone. The girl nodded in response, crossing her arms over her chest. Kai let out a long breath, placing a strong hand on Rhea's shoulder. "No, I don't think so. Maybe you didn't notice, but you tried to hurt someone. You're not getting away that easily."

It had been worth a try. Rhea shrugged Kai's hand off of her shoulder and jumped backwards, landing in a crouch. She would just try and fight her way out of here. The odds were not in the young girl's favor, but she did not care. The best way to escape was to make sure there was nothing in the way to prevent it from happening. Seeing everyone still stupefied, Rhea bolted over to the red head and yanked hard on her arm.

Laurie fell off of the chair, hitting the wooden floor hard. Rhea was dragging her across the ground, heading towards the kitchenette. What just happened? There was shouting and shuffling all around, but the orange ninja could not keep her focus. Blood was pounding hard against her inner ears, fear coursing through her veins. Suddenly there was a sharp object at her throat. Rhea knelt on the floor beside Laurie, a knife to her throat. Laurie was surprised by how fast the young girl worked. It seemed as if she were seasoned in fighting and, unfortunately, killing.

"Enough!"

Everyone in the room turned their attention towards the door where an elderly man stood. His narrowed eyes were visible despite the shadow that was cast downwards by his hat. Laurie took this opportunity to survey the situation. She turned her ice blue eyes on Rhea, whose attention was solely on Sensei Wu. With her left hand, she tore the knife from the young girl's hand and threw it across the floor. It made a loud thud as the handle met a cabinet, causing Lloyd to jump slightly.

The ninja lowered their weapons and visibly relaxed. Sensei Wu stepped aside, allowing Nya to enter the apartment. "Nya tells me that we have a new guest and I came to see her" the aging man stated plainly, resting the bottom of his walking stick on the floor. He noticed the young girl kneeling on the ground near the kitchenette, one hand gripping his niece's arm and the other resting by her side. "Ah, here she is" Sensei Wu smiled, closing the distance between himself and Rhea.

Rhea felt the air leave her lungs. She was trapped yet again. Freedom, it had been so close. Using her own target as a shield seemed to have been the perfect plan. Rhea would have been able to escape and carry out her mission at the same time, but not anymore. The aging man bent down and Rhea released her hold on Laurie who quickly got to her feet and walked back towards the others.

"Hello there" Sensei Wu said, nodding slightly. "It seems that you will be staying with us for a while."

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**Alright well that's that. Feel free to review because those are always nice. Thanks for sticking around to read my story because I appreciate it. Have a great day! :D**


	4. Friends

**Happy Friday everyone! I'm up super early. Well six o'clock is early for me because I haven't actually been up this early in a while, but I'm going to Disney for the day with my mom and we're trying to head out as soon as possible! :D**

**Enjoy~**

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Chapter Four: "Friends"

The smell of food filled the entirety of the apartment. Rhea sat on the wooden floor in the corner of the main room, between a green bed and a wall that had a window. She had contemplated trying to break through the glass, but there was an odd sensation that was eating her up inside. Never had the young girl felt this way before. She attempted to place a name to the feeling, racking her brain for a proper term. The word 'guilt' seemed to fit.

After Sensei Wu had initially talked with Rhea he told her that she would be staying with them until they could locate her family. With a heavy heart, she informed him that she had no family. Unfortunately that only seemed to solidify a reason to stay. He was so kind to her even after everything she had done. Trying to escape now would only make her feel terrible. Foolish emotions, they were clouding her thinking and judgment. There would be an opportunity to leave; Rhea just had to wait for the right moment.

She gazed over at the individuals sitting at the dining room table, laughing and talking. Sniffing slightly, Rhea laid her head against the wall on her left and sighed. Being in an environment like this was physically painful. How was it fair, that they could have each other and she could not even have her own parents? Rhea crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to make herself as small as possible. These ninja would not be so jovial and happy once she killed Laurie. Apparently that was the red head's name.

"Do you want something to eat?" a kind voice asked. Rhea turned her head to see Nya, the girl who had dragged her out of the alley. The samurai gave a small smile, waiting for a response. Despite the audible sound of her growling stomach, Rhea shook her head. The last thing she wanted was food from the enemy. It could be poisoned. "Suit yourself" Nya sighed, turning to walk back towards the dining room table.

Everyone fell silent as Nya once more took a seat among them. Strained and wary glances were shared by all except Sensei Wu. "What did she say?" Laurie inquired nervously. The orange ninja did not like the fact that Rhea was staying with them. She could have every opportunity to attack Laurie when she least expected it. No, there was no chance of that happening. All of the drawers that contained sharp utensils were now locked and Sensei Wu was in possession of Rhea's personal weapons. He had called them 'karambits', a term that eluded everyone. "Does she want anything to eat?"

Nya shook her head. "She says she doesn't want anything, but I know she's hungry. If Rhea doesn't eat something before it's time to head to bed her stomach may wake up everyone in Ninjago City." She lightly stabbed a piece of garlic chicken with the prongs of her fork. "I mean, 'vicious killer' or not Rhea's still a little girl. She needs to eat." A sudden motherly instinct was overwhelming the samurai and she sighed, placing the fork across her plate.

"How old is she?" Lloyd asked suddenly, his emerald eyes locked on to Nya. He watched as the others stayed silent, looking to see who would be the one to answer the question. The green ninja felt his face fall. They were keeping a stranger in their home and all they knew was her name. Lloyd stood up suddenly, the legs of his chair scraping against the wooden floor. He saw Laurie open her mouth to protest, but he ignored his sister. "I'm just going to talk to her" the blonde sighed, heading towards the small stove in the kitchenette. He made up a quick plate of chicken, mashed potatoes, and seasoned green beans.

Laurie could feel her heart racing as Lloyd slowly strode past the table. "Just be careful" the orange ninja whispered, anxiety obvious in her voice. She watched as Lloyd rolled his eyes in response.

There was the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps along the wooden floor boards. Rhea glanced towards her right and saw a small figure approaching. It was Lloyd, a round object gripped firmly in his hands. The smell of the meal infiltrated her nostrils and she frowned. Had she not just told Nya that she did not want to eat? Rhea turned her entire body around, now facing the wall entirely. She did not need sympathy or pity. Lloyd just needed to go away. "Mind if I sit with you?" she heard him say. With pursed lips, the young girl crossed her arms over her chest roughly, hoping to extend the message that Lloyd was unwelcomed.

The green ninja gave a small sigh and placed the plate of food precariously on the foot of his bed. It wobbled slightly as he hopped on his comforter, quickly procuring the plate before it tumbled to the floor. From this higher vantage point, the green ninja could see Rhea better. She had her forehead pressed firmly against the wall in front of her. It was almost comical, seeing how she tried so hard to be by herself. "I brought food" Lloyd tried once more, smiling. He held the plate out in front of him, as if Rhea could see it.

Rhea began to realize that Lloyd was not about to leave like Nya did. She turned back towards his voice, tilting her head back slightly to look up. His blonde hair was painstakingly obvious against the dreary grey walls. Rhea narrowed her brown eyes, feeling a complete sense of irritation overwhelm her. Was it not enough, just having to stay with the ninja? Now Rhea had this annoying pest bothering her. She grabbed the small pad of paper from her jacket pocket. Sensei Wu had allowed her to keep it. With purpose, the young girl scrawled letter after letter across the lines and then threw it at the green ninja.

Lloyd felt the spiral top of Rhea's notepad hit him square on the shoulder. Placing the plate down on his comforter, he grabbed for it. _Go away_, he read with a small frown. _I want to be alone_. He tossed the pad back over his pillow and watched as Rhea grabbed it out of the air with a single hand. Wow, she had fast reflexes. "I brought you food though" he prompted once more. Rhea rolled her eyes in response. A sudden heat broke out over Lloyd's face and he felt his feet hit the floor with a loud thud. Grabbing Rhea's dinner off of the bed, he knelt down in front of the blue-haired girl and placed the plate on the wooden panels. "You should eat" he said sternly.

What was this boy's problem? She gazed down at the food and felt her stomach burning. When was the last time she had actually eaten? It must have been at least two days ago. With a slightly shaking left hand, Rhea grabbed the fork that lay idly across the rim of the plate before pulling the rest towards her. The gnawing thought of poison prevented her from consuming any of it. Lloyd was staring at her intently. It seemed that he would not leave unless she ate at least one item. Was it worth death though? Heart pounding, Rhea gripped the pen tightly in her right hand, writing a message before sliding the paper across the floor to Lloyd.

He picked up the notepad and stared at the sloppily written note. _It's not poisonous, is it? I wouldn't want to die from trust._ This was becoming tiresome. Lloyd angrily threw the pad back at Rhea who once more caught it with ease. "No, it's not poisonous" he spat, beginning to lose his temper. "Even if it was and you didn't eat it, you would die from starvation!" His words seemed to have an effect on Rhea and he watched as her eyes grew wide with realization. Well at least she knew he was telling the truth.

Rhea turned back towards the plate and dug her fork haphazardly into the pile of mashed potatoes. Within seconds it was gone and she felt as if she had a lump sitting idle in her throat. Lloyd looked as if he were both disgusted and amazed. "If you eat it that fast you're going to be sick!" she heard him say. It did not seem to matter how fast she ate it. The food was going to end up in her stomach either way. Minutes passed before the plate was devoid of all food items. Rhea tucked herself back in her corner, expecting Lloyd to leave now.

"How old are you?" the green ninja asked suddenly. He watched as Rhea coughed, holding her right arm over her mouth. She seemed taken aback by the question, or just startled that he had spoken. "I just turned twelve over the summer" Lloyd continued cheerfully, moving to actually sit on the floor. His legs now tingled and ached from the lack of circulation they had received while kneeling. Rhea continued to just stare at Lloyd. "So…how old _are_ you?"

First Lloyd refused to leave and now he was prying? Rhea could recall her mother once telling her that you never asked a woman her age. It seemed to be strictly taboo. Now here was this ninja child plainly asking how old she was. He was twelve though. Reluctantly, Rhea scribbled on her notepad and handed it to Lloyd this time. He seemed relieved that she had ceased being violent for the moment.

The hasty writing struck a chord with him. _I'm twelve._ She acted so much older than she was. Despite her childish facial features and height, the green ninja had thought Rhea was around fifteen. "You're the same age that I am" Lloyd smirked, giving thumbs up before returning the notepad. Rhea snatched it out of his grip quickly, wrote something, and then gave it back. He could practically feel the emotion in each written word.

_Why are you being so nice to me? I tried to kill your sister and you're just sitting here, talking to me. Why?_

"I don't know" Lloyd replied, his gaze still focused on the message. Rhea looked over at him and was able to visibly see the confusion in his emerald eyes. "I feel like there's more to you than meets the eye" he continued. "I just don't know what it is yet." He gave the blue-haired girl a smile and handed the notepad back. Rhea took it and shoved it back into the pocket of her lavender windbreaker. Its bulky shape made her feel comforted. "Would you want to be friends?" Lloyd inquired, bringing Rhea back to reality. "I've never really had friends before and it sure looks like you could use one."

Friends? The term had never crossed Rhea's mind. She used to have friends, years ago when she still lived in her village. Those memories were beginning to fade though, replaced by years of turmoil and utter hatred. Suddenly, she thought of her "father". Would he know that she was in the hands of the ninja? Would he know that Laurie was still alive? Rhea looked at Lloyd, brushing her sky blue bangs out of her face. Here was this kid, ignoring everything she had done and just asking for her friendship. It could be beneficial to keep up such a charade. If she could get closer to Lloyd, then perhaps she could get closer to Laurie. Rhea nodded in response and then heard the blaring sound of an alarm.

Everyone jumped up at the same time, the ninja quickly spinning into their Spinjitzu tornadoes. Laurie ran to the small chest of drawers near her bed and grabbed a light orange gi before heading towards the bathroom. She really needed to master Spinjitzu. She quickly changed and bolted from the small room. Nya was explaining the situation to everyone else. Laurie took a glance over at Lloyd. He was still on the floor with Rhea, but she could see his eyes light up at the thought of a fight. "So what's going on?" the orange ninja asked.

"There have been a few sightings of Serpentine throughout the city." Laurie was picturing the flood of Serpentine underlings that had sprung forth from the Black Bounty back in the desert. Everyone had been surrounded and she watched on helplessly as Belinda pushed her from the crow's nest. A strong shudder ran down Laurie's spine followed by a bought of sadness. Here again was a memory that she wished she could forget, still lingering in the recesses of her mind. Yet there was nothing of her and Kai. "Laurie, are you listening?" Nya sighed. The orange ninja blinked her ice blue eyes and nodded. "I was saying that it's just the Generals, excluding Pythor. Just investigate and be careful, alright?"

Cole nodded, heading towards the small stand where they kept their weapons. He quickly tossed Jay his nunchucks and Zane his shurikens. Kai procured his sword by himself as Laurie jumped up on her bed to grab her bō staff from the small ledge attached to the wall. "Alright, let's go beat up some snakes!" she heard her brother call out enthusiastically. He was dressed in his green gi, pulling his mask down over his face. Even Lloyd had learned Spinjitzu sometime before Laurie had arrived. She seriously needed to start focusing more.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere" the orange ninja chastised, hitting Lloyd lightly on the shoulder with her weapon. "You're staying right here where it's safe." She seemed to regret her words instantly, wondering if here really was the safest place. It did seem that Rhea only had eyes for Laurie's demise, so Lloyd should be alright. Besides, the Serpentine had their eyes set on him specifically. If Laurie could keep her brother out of harm's way then she would. "Just stay here, Lloyd" she finished, her voice sounding tired. "We'll be back soon."

Lloyd crossed his arms angrily over his chest as his sister ruffled his blonde hair. She turned towards the door and followed the rest of the ninja out. "I never get to go" the boy complained, throwing his mask under his bed and flopping down onto the comforter. Rhea just stared at him, her brown eyes unblinking. He was throwing a tantrum because he wanted to put himself in harm's way? Lloyd sure was odd. She stood near her new "friend" and watched as he lifted his head up slowly. "What do you want?" the green ninja asked warily, finally noticing Rhea's presence.

So the tables were now turned. When she wished to be left alone no one would listen, but as soon as Lloyd wanted to curl up into a metaphorical ball of solitude he was not to be bothered. Rhea narrowed her eyes and threw her hands up in defeat. There was obviously no winning in a situation like this. She turned towards the window, wishing she could see something other than the alley. "Can I ask you something, Rhea?" she heard Lloyd ask unexpectedly, his voice barely above a whisper. The young girl turned around slowly, waiting for the boy to elaborate. "Could you try and cover for me? I want to sneak out and go help the others. Will you help me?"

Cautiously, Rhea scanned the room. Nya was busy doing the dishes. The sound of running water was quite loud now that she noticed it. It could possibly mask the sound of the door opening and closing. Sensei Wu was still sitting at the dining room table, his back turned away from the two children. Rhea looked back at Lloyd, examining the small flame that seemed to flicker behind his emerald eyes. He really wanted to go out there and throw himself into danger. Whatever, it was not her problem.

She nodded and saw Lloyd's face light up. "Thanks" he grinned, hopping down off of the comforter and fishing his mask out from under the bed. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." Within no time at all, Lloyd tip-toed across the wooden floor and made his way towards the door. His right hand wavered on the cold, metal doorknob as he took one last look around the room. No one other than Rhea was watching him. Quickly, the green ninja threw open the door and slammed it shut behind him.

Nya looked up from the sink, her eyes wide. "Did the door just slam?" she inquired, placing the soapy dish back into the opaque liquid that sat idly. A damp dish towel lay on the counter next to her and she wiped her hands promptly. Nya's gaze landed upon Rhea who quickly turned around, facing in the opposite direction. A nagging thought tugged at the back of the samurai's mind. "Where's Lloyd?" Nya sighed, noticing the absence of the green ninja. Rhea still gazed intently at the window in front of her.

"It appears that my nephew has snuck away" Sensei Wu stated, standing up from his chair. His eyes too rested upon the small girl who was avoiding everyone. "I think Rhea should go make sure he doesn't get into any trouble." The elderly man smiled when Rhea turned around, her eyes wide. He was going to let her just walk out of the home? This opportunity was too great to pass up. She could just walk down the street and disappear. Yes, she would have to wait for another chance to properly execute her mission, but that was the least of her worries right now. Now was the time to get away.

Nodding, Rhea reached into the right pocket of her windbreaker, pulling out the pad of paper and pen. She approached Sensei Wu while writing something down. With anticipation rising, the young girl felt her arm shudder slightly as she turned the pad towards the aging man. He squinted as he read it. _There are Serpentine out there and Lloyd left without any weapon._ Sensei Wu chuckled as he read the final part of the message. _I think I'm going to need my karambits back._

Nya peeked over Sensei's shoulder and scoffed. "There's no need for this" the samurai sighed. "I'll go get Lloyd myself." She was rushing towards the door, her left hand lying lazily on the bracelet that adorned her right wrist.

"There's no need for that, Nya" Sensei Wu replied, watching as Kai's sister stopped in her tracks. She turned around, seemingly flabbergasted. "Rhea is more than capable of bringing Lloyd back on her own." He reached into a small pouch around his waist and produced the two small, curved blades, devoid of any traces of blood. Rhea eagerly took them out of his hands, quickly pulling up the lengthy section of her hair and securing the makeshift ponytail with the karambits. Already she was beginning to feel better. She stuffed the paper and pen back into her pocket before walking towards the door. "I'm positive that you'll return with Lloyd safely."

The young girl exited the apartment quickly, ignoring Sensei Wu. A small breeze ran down the street and Rhea breathed in deeply. She was free, no longer a prisoner to the enemy. Rhea ran down the street, her sneakered feet pounding against the pavement. It was foolish of the old man to just willingly let her leave. She had expected to stay with the ninja for much longer.

With renewed energy and a cocky attitude, the young girl tore down the streets of Ninjago City, leaving her "friend" to fend for himself.

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**Well, I'm out. Thanks for reading and I will see you guys on Tuesday for another update. :3**


	5. Escalating Conflicts

**Happy Tuesday everyone. I'm going to be running around, doing lots of school work today since it is my busy day, but I wanted to update so I wouldn't forget to do it later! Please enjoy.**

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Chapter Five: Escalating Conflicts

"You didn't think to tell us about this earlier?" Kai growled through his teeth. The ninja were quickly traversing the streets, looking for any sign of Serpentine activity. Unfortunately, their search was turning up empty handed. "Not only were Skales and Fangtom trying to kidnap you, but they were planning on coming after Lloyd too. That's kind of important, Laurie!" Silence fell amongst the teammates.

Laurie felt her cheeks blush red from embarrassment. "It slipped my mind, okay?" the orange ninja challenged, the grip on her bō staff tightening. "I was more preoccupied with the girl trying to _kill_ me than a _failed_ kidnapping attempt!" Kai was being absolutely ridiculous. Even if Rhea had not have shown up back in the alley, Laurie would have found a way out of the situation. "I can take care of myself, Kai…"

The red ninja felt his blood begin to boil. Laurie could take care of herself? Of course, that was why she had been hypnotized by Skales when they had initially found her. That was why she had let herself be kidnapped by Belinda. How could anyone forget how well she "took care of herself" when she lost her memories?

Kai abruptly stopped his train of thought, feeling a heaviness overwhelm him. He was being selfish. Though no one knew what had caused Laurie's tattered memory, it was not fair to hold it against her. His light brown eyes drifted over towards the orange ninja, her jaw set and gaze focused on the path ahead. There was still a sense of hesitation inside of him, holding him back. Kai still cared about Laurie, still loved her, but it hurt. She was not the same person, not to him. "We're a team though" Kai sighed, directing the comment towards Laurie. "We're always here to help each other."

"I can do things on my own though, Kai!" Laurie yelled, obviously angry. Did he think she was not capable of holding her own in fight? Maybe he did not remember, but _she_ was the one who defeated Belinda. Granted she did not remember exactly how she did it, but she did. Oh that was right, Kai could not remember exactly when she had sent Belinda back to the Underworld because he had apparently been in a _coma_! "You act like I'm helpless when I'm really not!" Laurie noticed Kai narrow his eyes and she ignored him.

This was becoming ridiculous, the frustration building up inside of Kai. "You were out shopping with Nya!" he shouted back, beginning to lose his temper. "Did you have any weapons on you? No, you didn't. What makes you so sure that it still would have been a _failed_ kidnapping if Rhea hadn't shown up?" The red ninja could feel the tension rising between himself and Laurie. He was reaching the breaking point, just continuing to spew whatever came to his mind. "You can't even do Spinjitzu, Laurie! Lloyd even knows how to do it now! You're obviously not ready to do _anything_ by yourself."

Tears were beginning to form in the orange ninja's eyes. Kai's words stung terribly and she tried to shrug them off. So she still had not fully mastered Spinjitzu, so what? Laurie sniffed slightly, feeling the salty tears from her eyes soaking into the material of her mask. "I'm still trying" she cried, her voice breaking slightly. "You can't blame me for wanting to try!"

"Guys, just stop fighting. There's no reason for any of this!" Cole made his voice heard clearly. Everyone stopped walking, their eyes trained on the team leader. At least he had managed to get their attention. "We don't put each other down, Kai. You had no right to say the things you did." The black ninja watched as his brother sighed and nodded his head slowly, then he turned his attention towards Laurie. "On the other hand, we are a team and we work together. I'm sure you can hold your own in a fight, Laurie, but we're going to look out for you no matter what." Cole saw her avert her gaze awkwardly, focusing on her bō staff instead. "Now, if we can put our differences aside, let's go find some Serpentine."

There was a hand on Cole's shoulder and he looked back to see Zane, his face expressionless. "My sensors indicate that there are three unusual heat signatures within the vicinity. I would assume that these could be the Generals." Everyone immediately scanned the area as the tension in the air rose. "They are moving away" the Ninja of Ice relayed, picking up his pace. The group was running now, making their way through the city block after block. Suddenly Zane halted his gait, causing both Jay and Kai to run into him. Unfazed by his brothers, the nindroid trained his dark blue eyes on a building to his left, and then switched to a building on his right. "The heat signatures are spreading out. I believe we are surrounded."

"You said there were only three, right? Well that's three against five then!" Jay was laughing, happy that the odds were in their favor. A creeping feeling washed over the blue ninja's body as realization struck. "Nya said it was all of the Generals, excluding Pythor. There are four other Generals and if there are three here then one is missing…"

Laurie turned around to face the direction they had traveled from. She could not clearly see any Serpentine slithering around, but Zane said they were around here. What if this was just a trick? Suddenly, the orange ninja noticed Skales emerge from a side street about a block away. "Hey guys" Laurie whispered, her eyes trained on the slowly approaching Hypnobrai General, "I found one of them."

There was no reply.

With a rapidly beating heart, Laurie whirled around to see her teammates making their way down the street, presumably attempting to surprise the other hidden Generals. How had they not realized they had left her behind? She began running towards them, when something caught the end of her bō staff. The sudden pulling force in the opposite direction caused Laurie to fall flat on her back, knocking her weapon from her grip. She sputtered, attempting to catch her breath as a shadow crept its way over her face, blocking out the deep light of the setting sun.

"Somebody, help!"

The cry did not belong to Laurie, but she immediately recognized the voice as Lloyd's. He sounded far away, back in the direction they had all originally been searching in. Skales ignored this, his mouth pulled up into a smile and eyes locked with Laurie's. "Got you now, girl" he hissed, beginning to rattle his tail. The orange ninja closed her eyes, her breathing still erratic and painful. She attempted to call out for help, but no sound escaped her lips. Laurie's back ached terribly, the muscles pulling and grabbing when she attempted to sit up. She was trapped, immobilized by her injured back and the fear of being hypnotized yet again.

Footsteps were quickly approaching and Laurie felt her body tense up involuntarily. She heard Skales grunt followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the warm asphalt. The rattling ceased and Laurie opened her eyes to see Kai holding a hand out to her. "Are you okay?" he asked tentatively. He held her bō staff in his left hand and Laurie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Can't…move…" the orange ninja managed to say between gasps for air. Everything was just happening so quickly. She attempted to get into a sitting position once more, but clenched her teeth as pain engulfed her body. Kai could see this and he handed Laurie her weapon. With both hands, she grasped the staff and gave a soft yelp as Kai knelt down, scooping her into his arms. "Lloyd's in trouble" Laurie continued, the air in her lungs beginning to return. "We need to go help him."

The red ninja looked down at Lord Garmadon's daughter. Even though she had just been attacked and was obviously in extreme pain her thoughts were on the safety of her brother. "You're in trouble too though" Kai said with a stern tone. He noticed Skales getting up off of the ground a few feet away and turned in the opposite direction. "The Generals wanted both of you, remember? Well they almost had what they wanted. We'll help Lloyd, I promise, but we have to get you out of here too."

* * *

Every building in Ninjago City looked exactly the same. Rhea wandered down yet another unfamiliar street, her brown eyes taking in the neon signs that were slowly beginning to flicker to life. It would be dark soon and she would have an even harder time finding her way around at night. Rhea gave a long sigh, passing a small child and whom she assumed to be the child's mother. Her heart ached every time she saw a family. It just was not fair that she was unhappy with her life when other kids her age smiled and actually had other individuals that cared about them. Her "father" did not care about her, not really. He just used her, but what could she do about it?

There used to be a time when she had a family that loved her, friends that cared about her, and a place she enjoyed calling home. Then her village had been plundered and ransacked by rogue Serpentine when she was four. Her dad had been a seasoned sailor and decided that it would be safer to just live on the ocean. Perhaps the whole ordeal just shook him up terribly. Rhea remembered sailing the oceans that surrounded Ninjago, nothing but water as far as the eye could see. Her mom had always told her that everything would turn out alright in the end. Well, she had been terribly wrong.

"Somebody, help!"

It was a cry that reverberated off of the buildings and met Rhea's ears. She was pulled out of the past, seemingly frozen in place. Was that Lloyd? With a sigh, the young girl shook her head. Why would it matter to her if Lloyd was hurt? Rhea was free and anything that happened to her "friend" was just collateral damage. Unfortunately for Lloyd, she did not really care.

_"I'm positive that you'll return with Lloyd safely."_

Anxiety was beginning to rise in Rhea's throat as she suddenly remembered the last words uttered to her by Sensei Wu. There was that odd sensation again, clawing at both her mind and heart: guilt. That foolish old man was messing with her head. Guilt, there was no room for it. A small part of Rhea was frightened though. What if everyone was angry with her for leaving Lloyd? Rhea frowned, conflicted with herself.

Lloyd had sounded close though, not too far from where Rhea currently was. She began heading towards the direction the cry had come from and then stopped herself. Why was she doing this? The ninja were her enemy and she owed them absolutely nothing. They had taken her, tied her up, and agreed to keep her with them, like a prisoner. Lloyd though, he had been kind to her. It had been such a long time since anyone had actually seemed to care about her. The green ninja had informed Rhea that he had never had friends and she needed one. How could someone as naive and seemingly nice as Lloyd never have any friends?

Once more, the young girl caught herself running towards the sound of her "friend's" cry. She had made up her mind to aid Lloyd even though it would harm her in the long run. By scrapping the bottom of her heart for the tiniest speck of compassion and empathy Rhea had sealed her fate. After this she was going to end up back at the apartment, of this she was certain. Another chance to escape would arise, she was sure of it, but for now she felt as if she owed Lloyd for the kindness he had shown her. This was her fault now that she thought about it, agreeing to help Lloyd sneak out.

She could hear him call out for help again. Yes, Rhea was definitely getting closer. A small street lay off to her right, the entrance virtually hidden by stacks of empty cardboard boxes. The neon sign of the now closed café adjacent to the street flickered and buzzed. The golden rays of sunset were beginning to slowly fade. Rhea tossed aside some of the boxes and sprinted down the small street, her sneakers splashing in a puddle of what she hoped was water.

"I didn't think I'd see you just wandering around by yourself. Do the ninja not care about you anymore?" Rhea heard someone give a throaty chuckle. She cautiously stopped where she was and moved closer to a wall on her left. The intricate carvings along the wall formed a small alcove that she crouched down in. Not too far away stood a snake, his black scales beginning to blend in with the steadily encroaching darkness. He was short, but had a long and winding tail that was currently wrapped around Lloyd's arms, pinning them to his side. "No one is coming to help you."

Lloyd was lifted off of the ground slightly, his back hitting the wall behind him. He struggled in Skalidor's grip, but could not manage to free his arms. "Help!" he called out again, feeling himself growing weaker as the Constrictai General tightened his coils. Something moved in the growing shadows and Lloyd assumed it was another Serpentine, coming to aid Skalidor. Familiar blue hair made his emerald eyes widen and he gasped. "Rhea, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be back at the apartment!"

Skalidor turned his gaze to the side, noticing a small girl walking closer. She was thin and looked a little nervous. "Not much of a rescue party" the Constrictai laughed, "too bad for you, boy." He noticed Lloyd narrow his gaze slightly and turned back towards the girl. "Scram, or your next" Skalidor threatened, attempting to sound intimidating. Lloyd chuckled lightly, gaining the full attention of his captor yet again. "What's so funny?" the General inquired, becoming both impatient and irritated.

"Didn't your friends tell you about their failure earlier?" the green ninja asked. He had remembered Laurie talking about how Skales and Fangtom had fled after Rhea began fighting them. "They lost to this girl. Careful, she's crazy and she'll slice you up bad." Rhea hung her head down low. She appreciated Lloyd attempting to help, but this was not the right way to do it. He was making her sound like some feral animal that preyed upon every individual she encountered. This could not have been farther from the truth. Feeling embarrassed and angry, Rhea pulled her karambits out of her hair and got into a fighting stance.

This was amusing. The ninja was trying to convince him that this insignificant girl was the one who had defeated his comrades just this morning. Highly unlikely. He tightened his grip on Lloyd and felt satisfied when he heard the boy suck in a breath and groan. The girl did seem slightly angry, her dark eyes narrowed deeply. "Do you want your friend back?" Skalidor hissed, frowning. "Then you'll have to come and get him."

* * *

**Time to go to Trigonometry. Thank you for reading, reviewing, following, faving, whatever. I enjoy it all and it's appreciated. Have a great day. :3**


	6. Cover Ups

**Time for an update. This short chapter is short. Sorry about that. :/**

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Chapter Six: Cover Ups

Rhea charged forward, her legs shaking slightly. She pushed off of the ground, disappointed in the lack of air she had actually managed to achieve. Her right foot was poised and ready to strike her opponent in the bright orange scales that adorned his chest. Skalidor brought his left arm around, successfully blocking the girl's attack. She grunted in frustration, using the remaining momentum of the attack to push off the serpent and land a few feet away.

Well so far this was not working as Rhea had hoped. The long sections of her light blue hair were beginning to drape over her shoulders and wrap around her neck. Rhea shuddered slightly, quickly shaking her upper body back and forth. The hair fell back behind her and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes drifted to meet Lloyd's. He seemed nervous and Rhea frowned. Honestly, she was going to get him out of the situation. Lloyd just needed to have a little faith.

"You're going to give up already?" the Constrictai General teased. "Where's the fun in that?"

Anger was overwhelming the girl's small body. If there was one thing in the world that she despised more than her "father" it was being underestimated. She twirled the karambit in her right hand around her index finger before fully gripping the hilt once more. This was no longer about Lloyd's safety, it was personal.

Rhea clenched her teeth and sprung forward, the weapon in her left hand almost invisible in the approaching darkness. She feinted a stab that her opponent fell for before quickly bringing the curved blade in her right hand around. It created a small gash along the left side of the serpent's abdomen, seemingly insignificant, but when Rhea yanked the karambit out and backed up she could see it coated in dark, sticky blood. Yes, this was far from over. The angered cries of Skalidor echoed through the alley and the young girl felt pleased with herself. Time to add some insult to the injury.

Transferring the blood coated weapon to her left hand, Rhea quickly pulled the pad of paper and pen from her jacket pocket. She scrawled something quickly across the material and ripped it from the pad. Approaching slowly, Rhea met Skalidor's bright yellow irises, narrowed in both pain and anger. She stopped directly in front of him, both weapons in her left hand and a piece of paper in her right. Skalidor grabbed both of her arms, up towards the shoulder, and lifted her off of the ground.

"Do you think you can win?" he snarled, forked tongue visible. Rhea gave a small smirk and nodded her head. How infuriating! The Constrictai General dropped her to the ground and threw a clumsy punch which Rhea ducked under. She jumped up, poking the paper over one of the small spikes that adorned the serpent's head. He growled, fumbling to tear the note off of his cranium. After successfully procuring the item, Skalidor gripped it in both hands, reading what had been written.

_You've got a little blood near your stomach. I'd take care of that if I were you._

The pure hatred and malice that lit up Skalidor's face was utterly priceless. Rhea could feel her ego inflating as she prepared to finish the fight quickly. Jabbing her right index finger through the small hole in the handle of one karambit, she ran towards her opponent once more. Skalidor just stared as Rhea barreled towards him, her right arm held out entirely. Rhea could feel victory within her grasp and brought her weapon around to the side, preparing to slash at Skalidor's abdomen once more. It would hopefully be distracting enough that he would release Lloyd and they could make a hasty exit. She gritted her teeth, planting her feet to the ground as she swiped her karambit across the area in front of her.

Instead of hitting Skalidor she hit the one person she was trying to protect.

Lloyd cried out and Rhea's eyes widened in horror. She quickly pulled her weapon from the green ninja's shoulder and frowned. Using his hostage as a human shield? Wow, this snake fought pretty dirty. Rhea took a few steps backward, slightly disoriented. The pain in Lloyd's voice echoed through her mind. Her vision was swimming, everything becoming blurred. These could not be what Rhea thought they were. Tears.

A hand around her throat snapped the young girl back to reality. Skalidor lifted Rhea off of the ground, his smile communicating triumph. "Not so cocky now, are we?" the Constrictai General laughed. Rhea blinked back the odd sensation building up behind her eyes and used the curved blade in her left hand to slice one of the serpent's arms.

The ground met Rhea's back hard and she coughed, struggling to sit up. She heard Lloyd give a painful grunt and she watched as Skalidor threw him against one of the alley walls. He crumpled to the ground, motionless. A tail wrapped around Rhea's right wrist, twisting it hard to the left. She gritted her teeth and dropped her karambit, slightly relieved when the radiating pain subsided. Strong hands gripped themselves around her throat once more, tight and unforgiving. Rhea was choking and attempted to stab her assailant with her remaining weapon, but realized it was no longer in her left hand. She must have dropped it without knowing when she hit the fading asphalt.

It felt odd, the grip of death closing in around her. The irony was beginning to set in. She had brought death upon so many different individuals in her life and now she was the one who was dying. Everything was beginning to turn black and Rhea feebly attempted to kick out at Skalidor, a last ditch effort to save herself. Unfortunately, she did not have the strength.

A flash of green lit up the alley and Rhea collided with the ground, skidding backwards. She gasped, air finally returning to fill her lungs. The Constrictai General lay near, unconscious. Rhea looked around and saw Lloyd. He was on one knee, gripping his left shoulder with his right hand. Breathing still labored, the young girl unsteadily got to her feet and approached him. Lloyd gave Rhea a weak smile, obviously still in pain. "I got him for you" he tried to smile. "No one hurts my friends."

Rhea felt grateful towards her newly acquired friend. He had helped her when she needed it most. Lloyd honestly did care about her well being. There were those things again, the tears. They were mocking her, threatening to spill at any second. Shakily, she reached down into her jacket pocket and was relieved to find the pen and paper still there. She managed to write something down despite her fingers trembling. Lloyd took the pad from her with his right hand, smearing blood across the paper. _I am so sorry I hurt you_ he read. _I didn't mean to, I promise._

The green ninja looked up at his friend, noticing how glassy her eyes looked even in the dark. Was she crying? No, she could not be. Lloyd stood slowly, holding the pad out to Rhea. She took it gingerly from his grasp and followed suit. "I know you didn't mean it" he answered, applying pressure once more to his injured shoulder. "Let's just get your weapons and get out of here, okay?"

She had completely forgotten about her weapons! Rhea ran over to where Skalidor lay on the asphalt, searching for her karambits. One was found easier than the other; the blade coated in blood was able to blend in more with the dark ground. Rhea held both of them in her right hand, refusing to put the blood in her hair. She beckoned for Lloyd to follow her and he did, the two small children traversing the deserted streets of Ninjago City. Judging by the quality of the buildings and neon signs no one visited this part of town too often.

"Oh my goodness, Lloyd!"

Lloyd looked up to see his sister and the others. Laurie had her left arm slung around Kai's neck, supporting most of her body weight. What had happened? "Laurie" the green ninja called out, running to meet the group. Rhea ran behind him, her footsteps quieter than his. He threw his arms around his sister, embracing her tightly. She cringed slightly at his rough touch and he relinquished his hold on her. "What's wrong?" Lloyd asked, his emerald irises wide.

The orange ninja's gaze drifted to a light bloodstain on her gi. That had not been there before. "I'm fine" she answered honestly, taking her arm away from Kai. He eyed her briefly, making sure she could stand on her own. "Lloyd, are you okay? We could hear you screaming, but we had our own problems to take care of. I hurt my back a little bit, but…are you bleeding?" Laurie watched Lloyd shift uncomfortably at those words and she frowned. "You _are_ bleeding! Are you okay? What happened?" Rhea now stood next to Lloyd, placing her left arm on his uninjured shoulder. The red head watched with disdain as the girl touched her brother and she noticed the blood covered karambit in her possession. "You did this, didn't you?" Laurie growled, reaching down to grab the sleeve of Rhea's jacket.

"No, she was trying to help me!" the green ninja protested, his eyes narrowed. He yanked Rhea away from his sister, ignoring the expression of shock on her freckled face. "Rhea came to help me, Laurie. Honestly, if she hadn't shown up who knows where Skalidor would have taken me. The blood isn't mine anyways, it's Skalidor's." Rhea's eyes darted over to Lloyd. Why was he covering for her? It was true, some of the blood probably belonged to the snake, but some of it belonged to him as well. "I don't remember how I injured my shoulder."

Laurie could tell when Lloyd was lying. What he was lying about, she was not sure, but she knew that he was lying about something. There was no reason to analyze it now though. He was safe and that was all that mattered. "Thanks, Rhea" the orange ninja said reluctantly. Rhea just gave a nod and Laurie could see something falling down one of the girl's cheeks. Was she crying? No, she could not cry. She was a killer. "Let's just get back home so we can take care of your shoulder, okay?"

Everyone seemed to be in an agreement. Kai took Laurie's arm and replaced it on his shoulder. It was comforting, being able to help her when she was injured. In fact this was probably the closest he had been to Laurie since the day she had followed him to the park. Kai thought about that day all the time, but not as often as the day Laurie backed away from him, fearful. He sighed, continuing to aid the girl he loved down the street, following his brothers.

Rhea trailed behind Laurie, her gaze on Lloyd. He gave her a small smile and she narrowed her eyes. Why was he trying to protect her? She did not need anyone to protect her because she could take care of herself. Rhea crossed her arms over her chest, careful not to cut herself with her weapons. Lloyd cocked his head to the side slightly, noticing the sudden change in his friend's behavior. "What's wrong, Rhea? You seem upset." She was already busy writing something, the pen flying across the paper. Without making eye contact, she ripped the note out and handed it to Lloyd.

_I don't need you to protect me. I can handle myself just fine._

He stared at it, confused by the message Rhea was trying to get across. She was angry that he had protected her from his sister? Laurie already hated and feared Rhea, so he decided to spare her the details she did not need to hear. Was that so bad? Lloyd felt a dull anger settle over him and he crumpled the paper up before throwing it to the ground. "Whatever" he muttered, walking a little faster. Rhea was really weird.

The young girl watched with satisfaction as Lloyd furthered the distance between them. Good, she did not need him or anyone else. She was only here to take care of the red head and then she would take her leave. Thoughts from the skirmish with the snake suddenly came flooding back. Lloyd was her friend and she had been willing to put her life on the line to help him, in fact she almost had. No, Lloyd was nothing more than a pawn. If she could continue to be his "friend" then she could get closer to her target. That was it, nothing more.

There was still a small voice in the back of her mind that was telling her something different. Lloyd obviously cared about her and she obviously cared about him. Why else would she have run to his aid? A sigh escaped Rhea's lips as she trained her dark brown eyes on the boy dressed in green. It was odd, the sensations he was drudging up from deep within her heart. For so long she had felt no compassion, kindness, fear, or sadness. Those last two were the ones that unnerved her the most. When she was caught in Skalidor's grip she felt both. There was the fear of dying obviously, but also sadness. Rhea had been sad, sad that she had not been able to help Lloyd like she had originally intended; sad that she had failed her friend.

What was Lloyd doing to her?

* * *

**Well, I am about to head to MegaCon now. Three days of anime, sci-fi, comic book, and fantasy craziness. Tara Strong, the Weasley Twins, the cast from "Star Trek: Next Generation", Vic Mignogna, and Joel McDonald are all going to be there. Not as good as last year with the guests, but I'm actually cosplaying this year which will be fun. :3**

Hope you guys have just a great a weekend as I know I'm going to have. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and sticking with me. If you happen to be at MegaCon this weekend as well shoot me a PM. It would be super cool to meet up. XD


	7. Scars of Destiny

**Good morning to you guys, or night depending on where you live. Time for another update. I personally like this chapter and the next one because they're connected. Please enjoy. :3**

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Chapter Seven: Scars of Destiny  
  
Laurie sat down in a chair that she had pulled up beside Lloyd's bed. He was sound asleep, his back towards his sister as he slept on his good shoulder. The stark white bandages that wrapped around Lloyd's injury made Laurie feel sick. There was nothing she could have done to prevent the situation, she continued to remind herself that, but it was difficult. Her little brother was hurt and she felt like it was all her fault. The orange ninja gave a sigh and moved some of Lloyd's blonde hair away from his face. He stirred slightly, but did not awaken.

Sleep was probably an activity that she should have been engaging in, but Laurie did not feel tired. She stood up, careful not to let the chair move across the wooden floorboards, and headed towards the dining room table. Everyone was seated around it, their faces dimly lit by a single candle in the middle of the table. The flame burned steadily as the wax slowly melted and collected in the brass dish connected to the bottom of the candle. Fire was always comforting to Laurie, its warmth and light. She leaned against the counter top in the kitchenette nearest to the table. "So, Lloyd's going to be okay, right?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her uncle gave a nod, his facial features and expression hidden by the long shadow cast across his face by his hat. "Zane and I examined the injury and there is no sign of infection. It will be sore and painful for a little while, but Lloyd will be fine." Laurie's breath of relief was audible throughout the room. Sensei Wu felt his heartbeat quicken slightly as he prepared what he was going to say next. "There is something that I need to tell you, Laurie." The elderly man cleared his throat lightly; picking up his head to gaze into each of his student's eyes. "Actually it's something that I must tell _all_ of you."

The table's occupants fell absolutely silent. Jay raised his scarred eyebrow, his hazel eyes bounced around nervously, unable to focus on any one person or object for very long before locking eyes with Nya. Cole and Zane exchanged anxious glances before preparing themselves to hear the news. Kai rested his head in his hands. There was an ominous feeling that seemed to overwhelm him, but he did not know why. Something was telling him whatever it was that Sensei had to say, it was not going to be pleasant. Laurie hugged her arms and stared hard at her uncle. This was obviously of the utmost importance and very serious if it was being discussed without Lloyd. "Well" the teenager prompted, feeling jittery, "we're all listening."

"I sense a great evil that is getting stronger with each passing day. The time to fight is growing nearer; the Final Battle may upon us shortly." He let his gaze drift over to his niece, but she was not looking back at him. Laurie's eyes were trained on Lloyd, the fear in them obvious. Of course she was concerned to hear this news. "Lloyd's destiny is not the only one that is to be fulfilled." The teenager abruptly turned her attention back towards her Sensei, caught up in his latest sentence. "Your destiny is drawing to a close too, Laurie."

Drawing to a close? That sounded very unnerving and final. "Yeah" the orange ninja shrugged, feeling calm about the situation. "I'm supposed to protect my brother once I learn how to master Spinjitzu." Her ice blue eyes widened in horror as Sensei Wu averted his gaze down towards the table. That seemed like an ominous gesture. "I'm not missing something here, right?" Laurie snapped lightly, becoming frustrated. "You did tell me months ago that I was destined to protect the Green Ninja, correct?"

"Indeed, I did" the elderly man sighed, suddenly standing. "Let me just be the first to apologize for what I am about to say. You see, there was more to the prophecy than I initially led on. I did not find the timing to reveal the rest appropriate until now." The air seemed to become heavier and still. No one made a sound. "Your destiny holds more than you know, my niece. It is prophesized that you will sacrifice yourself in order for Lloyd to fulfill his own destiny."

Her body ran cold, every vein flowing with ice. "Sacrifice myself?" Laurie asked, her voice small. "You mean, like, death?" Sensei Wu did not speak, but his deep nod was the confirmation that the orange ninja did not want. Death? She was going to die in a fight, in front of her brother, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about. This was out of her hands; this was destiny. "I'm going to die?" she tried once more, still not entirely grasping the scenario. "I-I'm going to die in front of Lloyd? How's he going to handle that? I just…I don't…"

Laurie could not finish her sentence. Silent tears were slowly slipping down her pale cheeks. It was obvious to her that all of the color had drained away from her face. She was surprised she was still standing, her knees shaking rather violently. Death was frightening and she was not prepared for it. Who could ever be prepared to hear that they were going to die? Not only die, but _destined_ to die. Laurie's mind was whirling, her breath catching. She had been born into this world, into this life, to die. That was her only purpose, to die.

"That can't be right, Sensei!" Cole frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back slightly in his chair. The two back legs wobbled precariously, but the Ninja of Earth did not notice. "It has to be some kind of mistake. There has to be some way out of it, a loophole or something. Can fate really just choose for someone to die?"

It was not fair. Kai's blank expression was beginning to unnerve his sister, but he did not care or seem to notice. He was too focused on everything that had just occurred. Laurie had to die for Lloyd to defeat the Dark Lord? That just was not fair. She had already been through so much in the past few months, more than she would have liked to experience in a lifetime. Thinking her brother had become a Serpentine, almost killing herself, being kidnapped by a Serpentine deity, and then losing some of her memories. Now on top of everything she had to die.

"I think I'm going to step outside for a second" Laurie sniffed, moving quickly towards the apartment door. She threw it open and stepped out into the darkness. The soft wind was chilled, making her shiver slightly, as she followed the walls of the building around to the back. An unstable looking fire escape greeted her, its dark rust even visible in the starless night. Laurie grabbed the railing and hoisted herself up onto the low lying platform before taking the stairs two at a time. The roof of the building was empty, perfect for just being alone and thinking. Laurie sighed, hearing the soles of her sneakers crunch along the old tar that coated the roof. She took a seat along the edge, her feet dangling. The bright lights of Ninjago City were glowing softly, seemingly promising a great future.

Of course, Laurie no longer had a future.

A chill ran down Laurie's spine and she whipped her head around to see Rhea standing behind her. She had not heard the young girl approach. Rhea was too silent. The orange ninja felt cold again. Here she was up on a roof alone with the one person who had tried to kill her only earlier that day. Of course, what was death now? She was going to die anyways so what was the point in just sticking around, loathing both herself and fate? "Are you here to kill me?" she asked plainly, tears still sliding down her face. "Well you can go ahead and do it if you want to. I won't stop you."

Rhea's eyes widened and her right hand twitched slightly, moving towards the weapons hidden in her hair. Laurie was just giving her permission to kill her, but why? With a plethora of self control, the young girl took in a deep breath and took a seat next to Lloyd's sister. She raised an eyebrow, noticing the glistening streams of tears rolling down Laurie's cheeks. Was she crying? Her heart leapt slightly and she opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it just as quickly. Instead, she produced the pen and paper from her jacket and wrote a quick message, placing the pad in Laurie's lap when she was finished.

Feeling bored, Laurie lazily procured the paper. She was barely able to discern the writing in the darkness. _Why do you want me to kill you now? You wouldn't let me do it before._ Laurie tossed the note away from her, back over to Rhea. "That was because I thought I had something to live for, but now I know that I really don't." Hearing her own words hang in the still, night air was scary. She had never felt like this before, so defeated and vulnerable. "If you're going to do it all I ask is that you make it quick, alright?"

She was being completely open and serious. Rhea felt a wave of anticipation crash over her. This was the perfect opportunity, the chance she had been waiting for, but something about killing someone who wanted to die was just too easy. There would be no enjoyment or sense of accomplishment working that way. No, Rhea was not going to kill Laurie tonight, not when she wanted to just end it all. The young girl scribbled something else on the paper before handing it over.

_Why?_

"Why?" Laurie inquired, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "I don't want to be in pain for too long, that's why." Was Rhea being serious? Who wanted to suffer when they were leaving the world? "I've been in enough pain lately. I don't want to go through anything like it again." Her right hand rested on her abdomen as she turned to look at the girl in her company. Rhea shook her head back and forth before while sliding her right index finger along the width of her throat. "Oh, you want to know why I want to die?" Rhea's shrugging seemed to indicate that she did. "I don't want to talk about it" Laurie sighed, pulling her knees up to her chin.

Rhea bit her lip, an odd sensation building up inside of her. It almost felt like guilt, but it was not quite that intense. Perhaps this was something else, a kinder emotion that was beginning to make its presence known. Laurie did not notice Rhea taking the paper and returning it shortly after, but the pad lay down in front of her, the stark white pages obvious against the dark tar. _There are some things that I don't like to talk about either_ she read. _If you wanted to, we could talk about those things together._

Laurie's eyes widened. Who was this girl? This could not have been the same person who had attacked her in the alley; the same girl who held a knife to her throat in the kitchen. "You want to talk with me?" Laurie questioned, extremely confused by the sudden change in Rhea's attitude. She had seemed a little different ever since they arrived back at the house, but this took the cake. Rhea nodded her head slightly and crossed her legs, preparing herself for what could be a long night. The orange ninja laughed a little, the sound garbled due to the light sobs that were just now beginning to rack her chest. "I don't know where you want me to start." Rhea leaned forward slightly, taking Laurie's right hand in between hers. "Oh, I have a scar under my shirt" Laurie sniffed, moving the thin material of her tank top upwards.

The thin line of scar tissue seemed to glow in the sudden moonlight. Jagged and ugly, it raced horizontally across Laurie's abdomen. "I was attacked a little more than a month ago by this…woman. She used Cole's scythe." There was the stinging of fresh tears behind her eyes and Laurie blinked rapidly, trying to block the memories from her mind; the memories of pain and sorrow. She never wanted to experience anything like it ever again for as long as she lived. That would not be very long though. Rhea brought her back to the present, taking Laurie's left hand and placing it on her right cheek. Laurie could feel the raised surface of Rhea's skin underneath her index finger. "Is that a birthmark?" she asked, curious. The orange ninja had wondered about the odd star shaped mark near Rhea's eye, but it had slipped her mind rather quickly.

With melancholy eyes, Rhea dropped Laurie's hand and reached for her pen and paper. Seconds later she turned it towards the teenager, her mouth set in a small frown. _It's not a birthmark, it's a scar just like yours._

"Well it's a pretty scar" Laurie smiled, pushing the paper back to Rhea. "You should feel happy that you have a scar like that and not one like mine." Rhea's dark brown eyes glistened in the moonlight, wrought with tears. "Don't cry about it, please. It was a compliment, honestly." The pad was back in her hands again and Laurie sighed. Communicating like this was very tiring and tedious. _I never asked for it, so how does it make it any better than yours? _Laurie read. "Why don't you just talk to me, Rhea?" the teenager breathed. "Are you mute, is that why you don't talk? Is it because you can't talk?"

She watched as the young girl grew extremely pale and took her time, writing something else down. Here we go again. _I can talk, but I can't talk. It sounds like you received your scar with honor, through a fight. I didn't get my scar that way. You think it's pretty, but you don't know all of the pain it has caused me. I'm cursed, Laurie. If I talk then I will die._

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**Okay, so I hope it was an enjoyable chapter. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and sticking with me. Have a great day and I'll see you Friday. :3**


	8. Pasts Revealed

**It is Friday and boy am I glad. Not only because today starts my weekend, but because it's time for another update. Please enjoy. :)**

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Chapter Eight: Pasts Revealed

"Cursed?" The thought seemed absurd. How could someone become cursed? Laurie's thoughts drifted back to her own predicament. Destined to die; in a way it was like a curse, omnipresent and foreboding through all aspects of life. The orange ninja cringed slightly. Thinking about life was beginning to scare her more than death. Death was bound to happen to everyone eventually and life was terribly fragile. Why did death have to come to her so much sooner than she would have liked? "How did it happen?" Laurie finally asked, eager to learn more.

Rhea was surprised by Laurie's curiosity. In fact, it was making her feel slightly uncomfortable. Why would anyone be so interested in a curse, especially one that could result in death? Taking in a deep breath, Rhea began her story, the pen flying back and forth wildly across the paper. _My parents were killed when I was younger. I think it was seven years ago, but I don't really remember. We were sailing, always on the ocean and always moving. We found this island way far away from the coast of Ninjago, but it wasn't on my dad's map. My parents decided we had to go exploring because the island was probably undiscovered, so we docked on the shore and got off._

_The island was beautiful actually. That much I can actually remember perfectly. There were so many trees and plants that I'd never seen before. It seemed like a great place to be, but then night fell. There were so many noises coming from everywhere. I was scared and my mom told me to hide in a nearby bush, so I did. This man came out of nowhere, but I didn't really get to see his face too well. It blended in with the darkness. He used his swords to kill my parents. There was just so much blood. I think I screamed, but I don't really remember that either. He turned towards me and his eyes were just the brightest shade of green. I thought he was going to kill me too, but something stopped him._

Laurie's eyes were wide with both fear and anticipation. Just the thought of this happening to Rhea when she was so young hurt her. No one should ever have to experience something of that magnitude, having to watch her parents murdered in cold blood. It was a wonder Rhea was not more psychotic. Well then again she had tried to kill Laurie twice in one day. That was pretty psychotic just by itself. "I'm really sorry that all of that happened to you, Rhea. Really, I am, but it doesn't explain how you were cursed." She watched as the blue haired girl blushed slightly, returning to writing down on the notepad.

_Sorry about that. Anyways, I'm still not exactly sure what stopped the man, but it was some glowing orb. It hissed something and the man just stopped, but then the orb came at me, told me it wanted to raise me. I was too shocked to think at the time so I just nodded my head. There was a flash of light and a burning sensation on my face. The scar was there. The orb told me that if I ever spoke I would die and that a vow of silence was necessary in order for me to properly live. So here I am, just kind of wandering around. I've kind of forgotten already what it's like to talk, but sometimes I'll almost do it without thinking and then I have to stop myself._ Rhea could feel the tears beginning to fall down her face. Her past was just so painful and she always kept its content and details buried down deep within herself. In fact, she was positive that Laurie was the first person she had ever told. _So even though I have the possibility of dying every day I still don't want to. Why do you want to die now?_

Living a life without words; no wonder Rhea always looked so lost and alone. Laurie could not help herself as she pulled the young girl into a tight embrace. She felt Rhea tense up, but did not release her. "I'm not sure who has the worst end of the deal" Laurie whispered, feeling Rhea lay her head down on her right shoulder. "I'm sorry that you've had to go through so much in your life. You're still really young and no one should ever have to deal with anything like that. I'm really sorry."

Rhea wrapped her arms tightly around Lloyd's sister. This moment felt surreal, but completely genuine. Tears lightly rolled down her face as she closed her eyes. Laurie, she was supposed to kill Laurie, but that seemed as if it were becoming increasingly difficult. Rhea remembered back to the day she had received her assignment, when she noticed Laurie and Kai walking across the dying grass of the park. She remembered how much Laurie had reminded her of her mother, the twinkle in her eyes and the small smile on her face. For some reason in this moment of pure compassion and empathy it felt as if Laurie _was_ her mother. Laurie began to pull away and Rhea's heart ached for the warmth and comfort that was replaced by the chilled, night air. "Well, you asked me why I want to die so now it's my turn to talk." That was right, the young girl was still curious as to why Laurie was perfectly fine with death now.

Frowning, the orange ninja wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm supposed to help my brother" she started slowly, letting the words stay suspended in the night air. "There's this prophecy that Lloyd will defeat the Dark Lord and restore peace to Ninjago. Well, I guess Sensei Wu thinks I'm this 'Legendary Ninja' who is supposed to aid Lloyd during his fight." Laurie gave a long sigh, gazing out over the brightly light skyscrapers that were scattered throughout Ninjago City. "It's just that, as the one person destined to protect Lloyd, I'm supposed to sacrifice myself in order for him to complete his destiny. I'm going to die and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it."

There was a gentle hand on Laurie's shoulder and she whipped her head around to see Rhea just staring at her. The girl's large, brown eyes were extremely unnerving. She slowly handed the orange ninja her pad of paper. _You don't know when that will be though._ Laurie pushed the message away, back towards the young girl. Of course she did not know exactly when she was going to die, but that seemed to make it all the more real and terrifying. Her demise could come tomorrow or in two years. What sort of life was worth living if every day was ruled by the fear of death? That was no life at all.

"I don't want Lloyd to have to see it, but I know that there is really nothing I can do about it. He's going to be there, battling the Dark Lord alongside myself and the others." She pulled her knees back up to her chin and hugged her shins tightly. "I guess it's ironic that this is my destiny, to die for the one person that I had spent a majority of my life attempting to see again." Rhea's puzzled expression made Laurie give a slight smile. "My past isn't really that great either. You see, my mom is an archaeologist and when my father 'disappeared' she sent Lloyd off to boarding school and allowed me to travel with her since I was older. She was always looking for something, an artifact of some kind, but she never shared the details with me. My mother always told me that it was extremely important and it could possibly bring our family back together." Wistfully, Laurie allowed her ice blue eyes to drift down towards the barren asphalt. "I ran away before she found it, if she ever found it. I had learned about whom my father really was and I despised him. Two years went by and I was trying to learn the art of Spinjitzu, but that didn't really work out like I thought it would."

The memories of her childhood came flooding back. Tumbling down a small rock formation and scrapping up her bare knees somewhere out near the Caves of Despair. Watching in wonder as the Mountain of Impossible Height whizzed by from the window of the covered caravan. The sad smile on Lloyd's face when he waved goodbye, suitcase in hand, and disappeared out of Laurie's life. She blinked, feeling a hot tear run down her right cheek and fall onto her collarbone. "Sorry" the orange ninja apologized quickly, feeling herself blush slightly. "I didn't mean to bore you or anything, Rhea. You're life has been even more difficult than mine so I can't complain, not even in the least bit. I guess the point of it all was that I wanted to die now so Lloyd wouldn't have to see it happen later."

Rhea scooted herself a little closer to the melancholy teenager, feeling the bottom of her jeans scrap against the tar on the roof. She took the notebook and pen, quickly forming a message that she hastily shoved over towards Laurie. _Don't try and find the easy way out. Lloyd would be hurt either way. _There was an unusual tug at the edge of her lips, pulling upwards slightly. Was she about to smile? No, she had not smiled in years, why would she be doing it now? With mixed emotions, the young girl watched as Laurie's eyes widened and she turned her attention away from the notepad.

"You know what; I was being selfish and I never really thought about Lloyd at all. I was only thinking about myself." Rhea was absolutely right, Lloyd was her brother and she should not just give up on life just because she was afraid. Laurie had a family now, comprised of more than just those who were physically related to her. She was not prepared to give up for their sakes. "I just have to enjoy whatever time I have left" she continued with a grin. "Thank you, Rhea, for making me realize that." The irony was plain and simple; it took the girl who had been trying to end her life to make Laurie see that she actually had a life worth living, even if it was going to be shorter than anticipated. "Just, please don't tell Lloyd. I don't want him to worry about me, alright?"

With a nod, Rhea took the small notepad back and shoved it into the right pocket of her lavender wind breaker. The pen sat next to her, practically blending in to the tar on the roof. Small streams of faint golden light were beginning to peak over the horizon. Impossible, both she and Laurie could not have been outside all night talking. A dainty, white object floated right in front of Rhea's face and she jerked her head backwards. The strange entity came at her again once more, choosing to settle down on her nose. It was soft and tickled, causing her to blush.

"What a pretty, little butterfly" Laurie laughed, seeing Rhea's reaction to the winged insect. "I think it likes you".

A butterfly? The term was unfamiliar. With a shaking hand, Rhea attempted to touch the creature's small, flawless wings. It left its perch on her nose and fluttered around in the air before landing once more. Rhea put her hand down, positive that this being was not fond of being handled. It was such an odd experience, having this living creature just sitting upon the tip of her nose. She crossed her eyes, attempting to see it better. Two thin antennae curled over themselves in almost a spiral pattern. The butterfly turned around, its left wing lightly trailing the bridge of Rhea's nose. Its stark white wings were not as plain as the girl had first imagined. The one closest to her was adorned with intricate patterns, only visible due to the slightly raised nature of the markings. They seemed to be outlined in the lightest shade of purple. She continued to just stare at the creature, taking in every portion of it. Rhea decided that she liked butterflies.

Without warning, a warm wind blew across the roof and the butterfly shuddered, using its spindly legs to try and hold on to Rhea's nose. The force was too great and the creature relinquished its hold, diving into the fading darkness. Rhea felt her heart leap, her frown deepening. She had actually liked that small and insignificant creature. It reminded Rhea of herself, small and always wandering. Did butterflies ever find permanent homes? Perhaps she would never know. A small sigh escaped her lips as she quickly got to her feet, grabbing the pen on her way up. She gestured towards the opposite edge of the roof and Laurie nodded. It was time to head back inside now. They would both have to try and sleep while everyone else was awake. Hopefully it would not be too difficult.

"We definitely need to catch some shut eye" the orange ninja stated plainly, patting Rhea lightly on the shoulder. The two crossed the tarred roof and Laurie lowered herself slowly over the edge, relaxing when her shoes made contact with the rusting metal of the fire escape. She offered Rhea a hand and was honestly surprised when the girl accepted her help. Rhea jumped down next to Laurie and the two girls traversed the remaining stairs quickly.

The apartment was silent when they entered, Laurie closing the door softly behind them. She made her way across the wooden floor and quickly procured a set of orange pajamas from the top of her chest of drawers. Without another word, Laurie made her way to the bathroom to change. The lights flickered on slowly and the orange ninja stared at herself in the mirror as she changed. There was her scar, hideously snaking its way across her abdomen. She shuddered slightly before remembering that her situation could be worse. The incident with Belinda may have left both physical and emotional scars, but Laurie's thoughts drifted to Rhea's story. There had been a brief time when she herself had been mute, when she had first been kidnapped. It was maddening, but only temporary. Rhea, she would not be able to talk for the rest of her life.

Laurie exited the bathroom and froze when she did not see the young girl. Had she left when no one else was looking? The orange ninja wanted to kick herself. She had obviously been tricked into feeling sorry for Rhea, distracting her enough so that the crazed girl could escape. Laurie did not care if Rhea had saved Lloyd, she was not getting to let her out of her sight. There was still the matter of her motive for wanting to kill Laurie. That was still buried somewhere deep inside of her. Angry, Laurie stormed over towards her bed, ready to grab her weapon and begin a hunt for Rhea. A small cough from the corner of the room caught her attention though.

Rhea was curled up in the corner by Lloyd's bed, the same place she had spent the entirety of the prior day. Her lavender wind breaker was folded up underneath her head as a makeshift pillow, her arms left bare from the plain, white camisole that adorned her small frame. She shivered slightly as she grabbed the two curved weapons from her hair and placed them on the floor beside her. Laurie frowned, realizing that she had been jumping to conclusions. "Hey" she whispered urgently, advancing upon the young girl. Rhea craned her neck towards Laurie, curious as to the sudden bought of conversation. "You can sleep in my bed if you want. I was going to just pull up a chair beside Lloyd anyways. I'm still worried about his injured shoulder."

Sleeping in a bed? Rhea tried to remember the last time she had slept in an actual bed. The ground and an occasional tree had provided all of the necessary shelter she had ever needed for the past few years. Awkwardly, the young girl sat up, her eyes resting on the single empty bed. She waited for Laurie to say something else, or withdraw the invitation, but she did not. Grabbing both her jacket and karambits, Rhea slowly made her way over to Laurie's bed. She threw the few objects in her possession under the bed and hopped up onto the orange comforter. It was so warm and soft. Hastily, she found her way under the covers and was already out by the time her head hit the pillow.

Laurie smiled, feeling a warmth rise up inside of her. The last thing she had ever expected to feel was sympathy towards the girl who had tried to kill her. She returned to the single wooden chair that was still positioned next to her brother's bed and took a seat. The brick wall outside of the window made it difficult to tell what time it actually was, but Laurie was positive that the others would be waking up shortly. She sighed, slumping down in the chair slightly and crossing her arms over her chest. Laurie's eyes had barely closed before she was consumed by the darkness of unconsciousness.

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**Sorry about the length of some of those paragraphs. They looked a lot shorter in my Word Document and then they take up so much space and make the chapter look super short on here. XD**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, and sticking with me. I appreciate it and have a great weekend! :D**


	9. Unknown Foes

**Happy Tuesday to you. As I update this I am rolling out of bed and really dreading heading out to my math class that starts in an hour. Enough about me though, that's not why you're here. Time for a new chapter. Please enjoy.**

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Chapter Nine: Unknown Foes

With great difficulty, Kai managed to pry open his eyes. Everything surrounding him was blurry and disorienting. He propped himself up on his elbows, attempting to get into a sitting position. The dull thud of an oncoming headache was beginning to make its presence known. Giving a small groan, the red ninja sat up and scanned the room with his light brown eyes.

It appeared that everyone was still in bed, sleeping soundly. What time was it? Kai squinted, barely able to make out the time on the digital clock that sat on the table next to his bed. It was eight o' clock. Why would Sensei allow them to sleep so late? They were all usually awake at the crack of dawn, preparing to train for the day. The events from last night flooded the red ninja's mind and he frowned. Maybe Sensei Wu felt that they were all a little shaken from the news that had been divulged. Of course, Laurie had to have been shaken the most. He had fallen asleep before she had come back from wherever she went to last night.

Kai spotted Laurie, slumped down in a wooden chair that was pulled up close to Lloyd's bed. Quietly, he threw his legs over the side of his bed and crept towards the two siblings. Laurie's right hand rested gently on her brother's chest as she slept soundly, her own chest rising and falling steadily. A small smile crept upon the red ninja's face. He was reminded of himself, keeping watch over Laurie after she had been attacked by Belinda in the apartment.

A small whimper escaped the orange ninja's lips and Kai felt himself tense up. Cautiously, he walked around the right side of the chair, attempting to get a better look at the sleeping girl. Laurie's eyes were shut tightly, the thin skin on her eyelids crinkled. Her breathing quickly changed from a normal rhythm to one that was more erratic and Kai could see the small beads of sweat that were beginning to form on her brow. She seemed frightened and extremely vulnerable, but what could he do? Absolutely nothing.

Sighing, the Ninja of Fire made his way back across the room. He wondered what Laurie could be dreaming about, but decided that it was best not to pry. She would most likely withhold any information from him anyways. The two were not as close or open with each other as they used to be. Feeling a sudden emptiness overwhelm him, Kai rested his gaze on Laurie's bed, watching as the light orange comforter moved slightly up and down in time with her breathing.

Wait a second…

Kai turned back towards Laurie who was still beside Lloyd's bed. Then he focused on the bed in front of him once again. There was no denying that there was someone underneath of the covers. With a slightly shaking hand, the red ninja grasped the edge of the thick, orange material and pulled it downwards.

Light blue hair was visible, sprawled out across the white pillow. Rhea's shorter hair was sticking up at odd angles while the longer portions trailed downwards, almost touching the wooden floor. Kai narrowed his eyes, furious at the fact that she obviously thought it was okay to get comfortable. "Hey" he growled through his teeth, trying to keep his voice down to a loud whisper. "What do you think you're doing?" Rhea twisted her body around in the bed, her left leg kicking slightly at the covers, but did not awaken. "What do you think you're doing?" Kai repeated once more, leaning over the girl slightly.

Rhea felt an uneasiness consume her. There was something near, but that something was not necessarily malevolent. She gave a small breath in her semi-conscious state. The presence felt closer, seemingly hover over her. Feeling slightly nervous and a little instinctual, the young girl rolled over quickly in bed and punched. Rhea's small fist actually made contact with something and she opened her eyes to see an extremely unhappy ninja glaring at her. Frightened, she removed her hand from Kai's cheek and shrank lower into Laurie's bed. This was not going to end well.

He felt his face turn bright red, not from the unexpected attack, but from pure anger. Kai wanted to take the little brat and just tie her back up; then he would not have to deal with her anymore. As he stared down at Rhea he noticed a quality about her that seemed different. Instead of the defiant gleam in her eyes that he had noticed when Nya initially brought her back, Kai saw fear and sorrow. The red ninja let out a long breath, taking a few seconds to collect himself before he spoke. "Nice punch. Now, can you tell me why you're sleeping here? Last time I checked you weren't Laurie."

Feeling her heart rhythm slow, Rhea crawled out from underneath of the covers and pushed them towards the end of the bed. Kai looked utterly ridiculous. His right cheek was a dull shade of red and his dark brunet hair was flattened, sticking downwards instead of spiked up; even in this state though he seemed ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. Rhea did not even want to think about what she looked like right now. Rubbing both of her eyes with the backs of her hands, the young girl gave a yawn and stretched slightly before giving the ninja a shrug.

Kai closed his eyes, trying to keep his temper in check. Rhea was obviously getting way too comfortable around here. Maybe she had forgotten that she was the equivalent to a prisoner, but he had not. "Don't get used to that okay?" he challenged, narrowing his light brown eyes. "You're not here to lie around and feel comfortable. Last time I checked you're here because you tried to hurt someone and we're keeping a close eye on you until we can figure out why."

Rhea felt her face turn warm. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and was pleased when Kai gave her a wide berth. With determination, she procured her windbreaker from underneath of Laurie's bed, grabbing the pen and paper from the right pocket. _Last time I checked I saved Lloyd from being taken by those snakes or whatever. That wasn't you, that was me. _Rhea handed the paper to Kai who immediately became flustered as he read it.

"You think just because you helped out Lloyd that means we're going to forget about what brought you here in the first place?" the Ninja of Fire scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. The very air of the room seemed to grow heavier as the animosity between the two grew. "That may be the way you want things to work, but it's not going to happen." Losing his self control, Kai threw the pad of paper down on the wooden floor before grabbing Rhea's left arm. She tried to pull away from him, falling to the floor in the process. Her karambits were barely visible underneath Laurie's bed and the young girl tried to stretch her right arm out to grasp them, but Kai yanked her away. "Stop struggling" he said tiredly, bringing Rhea over towards the dining room table. "We should have never let you loose to begin with."

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_The palpable darkness was fathomless. Laurie blinked her eyes, attempting to have them adjust to her unfamiliar surroundings. Unfortunately, this did not happen. She nervously scanned the area around her, utterly blind, before mustering up the courage to take a step forward. Solid ground met her feet, easing her frazzled nerves. "Hello!" she called out, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify the sound. "Is anybody here?" Her voice echoed off of invisible walls before disappearing into nothing. Where was she?_

"_Feeling a little lost, are we?"_

_Laurie felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and she slowly turned around, reluctant to meet the individual whom the voice belonged to. Belinda now stood in front of the teenager, her lips pulled up into an awful smirk. "What are _you _doing here?" Laurie asked, her ice blue eyes narrowed with pure hatred. "I thought I killed you or something." The Serpentine goddess' small chuckle made Laurie blush bright red. "I don't understand what's so funny."_

_Belinda leaned lazily against Laurie's shoulder, deciding to stand on her own accord when the orange ninja abruptly pulled away. "Perhaps you forgot more than I bargained for" she laughed, enjoying the bewildered expression on the teenager's freckled face. "You didn't _kill _me. You banished me because you couldn't have killed me even if you had wanted to."_

"_Well trust me, I did want to" Laurie growled. She could feel Belinda's smug attitude emanating a sickening aura. "I know you're not just here to gloat though" the orange ninja continued, attempting to keep her loathing secured firmly within herself. There was no need to give Belinda the satisfaction that she was making Laurie feel uncomfortable and angry. "So, why are you here?"_

_Belinda sucked on her teeth before smiling, her two fangs contrasted greatly against the darkness. "Always wanting to get right to the point" she sighed, tossing her lavender colored hair over her right shoulder. "Some things just never change, do they? Speaking of change, how is that boy of yours? I'm assuming that he's distraught after what you did to him." The wily grin that was plastered on the Serpentine goddess' did not fade as Laurie pondered the posed questions._

"_I don't understand what you're talking about" the red head answered. These questions just seemed to be a string of words that had no relevance to one another. They jumbled up in Laurie's brain, giving her a headache. She closed her eyes, trying to alleviate a sudden pressure that was building up behind her forehead. What was happening to her?_

_There were two hands on Laurie's shoulders and her eyes snapped open. Belinda stood behind her, humming some tune that was unfamiliar to the orange ninja. "There, there" the goddess cooed, her voice dripping with false compassion. "I was only referring to your love. Kai, he is distant from you now isn't he? Not like how the two of you used to be."_

_Laurie shrugged the deity's hands off of her shoulders. "What do you know about Kai and me?" This was becoming tedious and tiresome. She wished that Belinda would just go away and leave her alone. Had she not ruined her life enough already? The scar along Laurie's abdomen tingled as she attempted to push all of the awful memories to the recesses of her mind. "You don't know anything about us."_

"_On the contrary, my dear" Belinda hissed, materializing in front of the orange ninja. "You did this to him. You did this to yourself. I was going to end your miserable little life, but you had your own ideas. It was you Laurie; you exchanged all of your memories of Kai for your own well being. How selfish of you." She watched with great pleasure as tears began to well up in Laurie's eyes. "Don't cry now though, you're alive just as you wished to be." The utter disbelief plastered across the red head's crying face made Belinda smile wider. She was, of course, withholding the entirety of the story. Laurie had not only saved herself, but the others as well, preventing chaos from creeping its way over the land. Kai's life too had hung in the balance and her decision had saved him as well. Where was the fun in letting Laurie know that she had actually accomplished something? No, it was better to let her think she had messed up._

"_I-it can't be true" Laurie sniffed, feeling her knees give out. She collapsed to the invisible ground feeling completely cold and shaken. "I couldn't have just decided to save myself." Her thoughts drifted back to her moment with Rhea on the roof. She had wanted the young girl to kill her then, an easy way out of death at a later date so Lloyd would not have to be present to watch it occur. That had been entirely selfish of her. Perhaps that truly was her nature: concerned only for her own well being. She felt the warm, salty tears drip down over her cheeks as the realization washed over her. Kai was distant from everyone, a completely different person, and it was all because she decided to give up her precious memories to save her own skin. Laurie was an awful person._

_Belinda felt an odd chill run across her body and she hugged her arms around herself. "Well I believe I am going to head out now" she stated plainly, casting her judgmental eyes down upon the broken ninja. "Now tell me you don't feel even a little better knowing how this all happened to you. Don't worry, Laurie, you'll get used to it in time, but maybe you won't. You don't have too much longer to live from what I gather…" She gave a small chuckle before dissipating into a black cloud. Within seconds she was gone, leaving Laurie alone in the dark._

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"Sis, are you alright? Wake up."

Laurie felt her muscles tense up and she opened her eyes slowly to see Lloyd gazing at her curiously. A dull headache was pounding behind her eyes and she gave a low groan. "I'm alright" she managed to say, stretching out her stiff limbs and attempting to stand up. Creaking pain seemed to radiate down her neck, making Laurie instantly regret staying by her brother's side all night. She caught herself suddenly, biting on the inside of her lip. Why would she even regret something like that? She really was a selfish person…

There were several voices filling the room that the orange ninja had not previously heard. She craned her neck around to take a look at the dining room table and instantly regretted the decision. Her muscles gripped painfully and she sucked in a deep breath. Well, she was definitely going to be sleeping in her bed tonight. "What's going on?" Laurie asked Lloyd, bewildered at what was happening.

"I'm not really sure" the boy answered, throwing his bed covers off of himself. Lloyd stretched before hopping down off of his bed and padding across the wooden floor in his bare feet. His emerald eyes rested upon Rhea who seemed even more melancholy than usual. She sat down in one of the chairs next to the dining room table, tied up once more. "What's going on?" the green ninja questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kai and Cole halted their heated conversation to turn towards the sudden voice. "I'm not entirely sure" the leader answered, brushing his black bangs out of his face. "Maybe you should ask the hothead that question." Cole gazed down at the young girl who sat next to him. She seemed tired and scared. "Well, Kai, are you going to explain what's happening or not?"

He could feel his temper flaring up inside of him once more, his hands balling up into fists at his sides. Why was it that he was always the one who was acting irrational or out of line? "She's not our guest, guys" Kai finally stated, his tone harsh and loud. "Maybe you don't remember this, but Rhea tried to kill Laurie and now she's just walking around the apartment like she owns it. I found her sleeping in Laurie's bed this morning. Maybe I'm just being a 'hothead', but usually captives don't get treated this nicely."

Laurie approached the table quickly, ignoring the disgruntled sounds coming from Jay as he finally rolled out of bed. She stood next to her brother, placing a protective hand on his right shoulder. "I told her she could sleep there, Kai" Laurie spit. The air in the room seemed to grow heavier as tension crept over everyone. "You shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly. Besides, she saved Lloyd yesterday in case you had forgotten. Sure, maybe that doesn't make up for the stuff she's done, but if you think about it Rhea hasn't really _done_ anything." Her ice blue eyes met Rhea's brown ones and the young girl gave a small nod. "Untie her, Kai" the orange ninja finished.

Rhea looked up at Kai and gave him a condescending smirk. She could feel the hatred radiating off of him like the flame from a candle. Reluctantly, the Ninja of Fire made his way around the back of Rhea, using his fingers to slowly undo the knots that bound the young girl. Minutes later the ropes dropped down around the chair, circling the floor. "There" Kai frowned. "Is everyone happy now?" No matter how hard he tried he was always in the wrong. Kai left the others where they were and made his way towards his bed. Angry, he procured a red sweatshirt from off of the bed post and threw it on over the top of his t-shirt. "If you need me I'll be out" he complained, running a hand through his spiky hair. The door was growing closer when there was a hand on his shoulder.

"Brother, there is no need for you to leave" Zane stated, the glint his dark blue eyes was serious. He could feel Kai's muscles tense at his touch. It was obvious that the red ninja wanted to leave, but he had the right to be here just like everyone else did. This was his home too after all. "We can all calm down and discuss the situation. Everything is going to be fine, you will see."

With a frown, Kai shook Zane's hand off of his shoulder. "No, I just need to get out for a while to cool down. I just need to be by myself. You can all just stay here and have a good time with the murderous brat." He eyed each one of his friends closely before finally resting his gaze on Rhea. She gave him a small wave and then crossed her arms over her chest in triumph. So that was her plan. Rhea was trying to get in with everyone's good graces. Well Laurie and Lloyd might have fallen for it, but he would not. "Don't wait up" Kai finished, pushing open the apartment door.

"Oh, Kai, you scared me!" Nya's eyes were wide as the door flung open in front of her. "I was just coming to get you guys. Something's up in the city and Sensei thinks you guys should check it out." She walked past her brother, entering the apartment. "Well, let's get a move on. Evil waits for no one."

Laurie glanced warily around the room. "Is it the Serpentine again?" she asked, her hand lying protectively on her younger brother's uninjured shoulder. It seemed odd that they would try to attack so soon after being defeated. The others were rushing around, spinning into their Spinjitzu tornadoes. Laurie sighed, running back towards her personal chest of drawers and grabbing a light orange gi. "I mean, we can take care of them. It'll be no problem." She shut the bathroom door tightly behind her as she went to change.

A large grin spread across Lloyd's face as he spun into his uniform. "Alright, we get to fight!" he shouted, pumping his left fist into the air excitedly. Gripping pain shot through his shoulder and upper arm, causing him to grit his teeth. He had almost forgotten about the injury he had received from Rhea. It reminded him of a previous injury he had received quite a while back, but that had been in the other shoulder. The click of a lock sounded and the blonde boy whipped his head around to see his sister emerge from the bathroom, dressed for battle. "Come on, sis. Let's go beat up some snakes!"

"You shouldn't be coming with us" Laurie sighed, reaching up above her bed to grab her weapon. She twirled it quickly before resting one end on the floor and leaning on it. "You're hurt, Lloyd. Stay here while we're gone, okay?"

Cole stowed his scythe in the holster on his back before turning towards the orange ninja. "We might as well bring him with us. He'll probably just get out again anyways like he did yesterday". Ignoring the disapproving glances of Lloyd's sister, the leader turned towards the door. "At least this way we can keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get hurt anymore." Lloyd smiled at his friend who just shook his head slightly. "This doesn't mean you get to fight, Lloyd. You're coming for your own protection. We aren't going to let the Serpentine lay their hands on you."

"I never said that the Serpentine were causing the problems" Nya stated, crossing her arms over her chest. The room fell silent, all eyes trained on the samurai. "We're not really sure what we're up against. Sensei hasn't seen anything like it before, but there aren't many of whatever these things are." With a quick hand, Nya checked the sash around her waist, feeling relieved when she felt the familiar cold metal of her crescent moon knife against her hand. "These things are kind of like people, but they aren't. It's like they're made of stone."

Rhea felt her heart skip a beat. A small trickle of sweat made its way down the side of the girl's face and she quickly rubbed it away. Feeling extremely uneasy, she made her way over to Laurie's bed, kneeling on the wooden floor. She grabbed her two weapons from underneath the bed and quickly tied her hair back with them. The pad of paper Kai had thrown still lay on the floor and she procured that as well, shoving it deep into the right pocket of her windbreaker. Feeling slightly prepared, she walked over towards everyone else and waited.

"You're coming too?" Jay inquired, holding his nunchucks down by his side. The girl nodded, hiding both of her hands in the pockets of her lavender jacket. Her dark brown eyes were narrowed slightly, seemingly full of determination. There was something else though that Jay could see: anxiety. Rhea seemed a little on edge and nervous, but he did not know why. "Alright then" he continued, glancing at Cole for approval. "It'll make it easier for us to keep an eye on you anyways if you're with us."

A sudden expanse of energy was coursing through Rhea's body. Jittery, she nervously drummed her fingers against the rough material that lined the pocket of her windbreaker. The noise was slightly audible, but she did not care. Rhea knew exactly who these enemies were and she was not happy about their current presence in Ninjago City. Not only were the ninja in for a fight, but she was as well. Time was running out. She caught Lloyd staring at her, one eyebrow raised in confusion. Shaking her head slightly, the girl averted her gaze and watched as everyone else started heading towards the door. "Alright, let's head out" Cole announced, leading the group out of the apartment.

The slightly chilled morning air hit Rhea's cheeks and she felt them grow warm. Everything around her seemed to be heightened. The sky was a crisper blue color than normal. White, wispy clouds slowly floated above. All the sounds of the city seemed overwhelming: honking of car horns and the chattering of people. Her heart was beating faster as the group made its way down one of the main streets. There was definitely a possibility that no one was going to make it back to the apartment today.

Well, at least not alive.

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**Well, that's all for today. Thanks to everyone who reviews, follows, and just reads my stuff in general. There is no way to thank any of you enough for the continued support. Thank you. :3**


	10. Without a Weapon

**It's Friday and I'm sitting at home instead of up at school which is really nice for a change. Okay, time for an update. Please enjoy.**

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Chapter Ten: Without a Weapon

Zane poked his head around the corner of a brick building. There seemed to be nothing unusual going on in the vicinity. "The coast appears to be clear" the nindroid said, turning to face his teammates. Jay leaned back against the wall and let out a long sigh, closing his hazel eyes. The metal nunchucks attached to his hip dangled lifelessly. "Perhaps we should continue our search elsewhere" the Ninja of Ice offered. "These mysterious foes seem to have Sensei on edge and I feel that we should attempt to find them as soon as possible."

"I agree with you" Laurie sighed, giving Jay a playful nudge in the ribs. The blue ninja's eyes snapped open and he coughed lightly. Realizing that it was only one of his allies he relaxed. Laurie could hear Nya laughing at Jay's reaction and she cracked a small smile. "We need to get a move on, Sleeping Beauty" the red head chuckled. "We need to look for whatever it is we're supposed to be looking for."

Feeling his cheeks burn underneath his mask, Jay crossed his arms over his chest. "I wasn't sleeping" he complained. His gaze fell upon Nya and his blush deepened. "I was taking the opportunity the calm myself and clear my head." The two girls just gave him a look of utter disbelief while Zane just looked confused. "Never mind" the Ninja of Lightning finished, conceding defeat. "Let's just get moving and try to find these weird stone people. I mean, how could people made of stone even move? Wouldn't they be just stiff and heavy?"

Laurie could barely hear Zane engaging Jay in his questions. Her thoughts were on her brother who was currently with the other half of the group. Was this new threat working with the Serpentine? Cole had said that they could not be too careful, that was why they had split into two groups. Laurie had of course wanted to be with Lloyd, but the black ninja had been against it. His reasoning was that if they did happen to be ambushed by the Generals it would be more difficult for them to kidnap both of them if they were separated. Yes, because that had worked out so perfectly the day before. The orange ninja let out a long breath and felt the muscles in the middle of her back tighten. It had not been the best decision to sleep on the chair after she had been injured.

"Are you alright?" a clear voice asked. Laurie blinked, looking up into the face of Zane. He seemed concerned, placing a reassuring hand on her left arm. "It seemed as if you were not presently with us. Is something on your mind, Laurie?"

Yes, there was a lot on the orange ninja's mind. She was still concerned with the sad truth that her time with her family was now limited. Her brother was being targeted by the Serpentine Generals. Well she was being targeted as well, but Laurie cared more about Lloyd's well being than her own. Of course, there was Rhea too. Despite learning more about the young girl Laurie still felt a little nervous around her. She had yet to discover the true motive behind Rhea's actions. "Yeah, I'm just hoping we find these stone people before they find us" she lied, giving the nindroid a smile.

"I don't think that's going to be much of a problem" Nya whispered, gesturing for the others to come towards her. Slowly, Zane and Laurie made their way away from the edge of the brick wall. The four teammates huddled together, scanning the street that lay in front of them. It was more noticeably empty than it had previously been. When had that happened? "Over there" the samurai pointed out suddenly, keeping her voice down. "I think that may be what we're looking for."

Well Sensei Wu had been accurate in stating that the creature was not like anything they had ever seen before. It was very petite, probably around Lloyd's height with a dark skin color that reminded Laurie of her father. Twisting, golden patterns adorned the monster's face, making its florescent green eyes much more noticeable. They were utterly blank and the orange ninja could not tell where it was looking. A red hat that was reminiscent of Sensei Wu's sat atop the individual's head, matching the red and grey armor that it was clothed in. It too was scanning the streets as if it were looking for something or someone, the crossbow in its left hand poised and ready to fire an arrow.

"That's definitely not one of the Serpentine" Jay added. The group could tell he was attempting to crack a joke, but his breath caught slightly on his words, revealing the hidden anxiety that lay underneath. "Do you think it saw us? I don't think it saw us. What if it saw us? I mean, it has a lot of arrows in that quiver on its back. What if we try to attack it and it just shoots us before we can even touch it?! What if…"

Nya held a finger up to her lips. "Calm down, Jay. If you keep this up it _will_ notice us." Her eyes drifted to look at the creature. It moved slowly, walking down the street in a methodical fashion. "Is it looking for something?" she asked. The creature was not mindlessly rampaging through the city like the samurai had anticipated. No, it was definitely here for a reason; a reason that she was hoping they could uncover and quickly. "Maybe we should follow it".

Laurie's stomach did a flip. Follow it? Was that really the best course of action? Taking in a deep breath she attempted to calm her nerves. They had to do something with this thing. Sensei Wu had asked them to check it out, but it was not currently doing anything bad. Nervously, the orange ninja twirled her bō staff around. "I guess we could follow it if we wanted to" she answered, absentmindedly spinning her weapon. Her hair was blowing around her neck and she wondered why.

Suddenly, the strange creature flew off of his feet, smacking into a building on the opposite side of the street. Laurie looked down and saw that she had pushed herself backwards along the asphalt with the force of her wind. "Oh my gosh" she whispered, holding her bō staff behind her back. "I think that I just hit him…by accident of course."

"Well, I think it saw us" Jay piped in, giving Laurie a wary glance. She sheepishly grinned at him in return, feeling apologetic. She had completely blown their cover because she was trying to do something with her nervous energy. Zane stepped out into the middle of the street, eyeing the stone man suspiciously. Nya and Laurie followed suit, running to flank the nindroid. "Hey, guys, wait for me!" called the Ninja of Lightning, hurrying to catch up with his companions. The four teammates stood in a line, weapons out and ready.

The short individual managed to sit up, utterly dazed. His green eyes rested solely upon the four people standing in front of him. Quickly, he realized that one of these strangers was the person he was looking for. With a garbled shout, the stone scout stood up, procuring a single arrow from the quiver on his back and loading the crossbow. A small click resounded as the arrow locked in to place.

Everyone tensed up as the stone creature began to shout, gesturing wildly with his free hand. "I can't understand what he's saying" Laurie noted, widening the distance between her hands on her weapon. "Please tell me I'm not the only one." No one answered as the enemy fired a single arrow. It twisted through the air, its trajectory set. The gleaming metal tip caught the sunlight as Laurie quickly ducked, watching as the arrow flew past where she had once been standing. Her heart sunk.

Managing to grab another arrow from the quiver, the stone scout was preparing to fire again. Something metal whizzed by, breaking the arrow in half and burying itself into the wall behind the scout. Curious, he turned to see the shuriken before facing his enemies again. A knife sailed through the air and hit him square in the chest. Slightly taken aback by the attack, the stone man watched as it fell to the ground after its initial impact. He was completely unharmed.

"That didn't even do anything" Nya gasped, her eyes wide. "How are we supposed to fight something that can't even be injured?" She held out a hand to Laurie who gratefully accepted the help. The orange ninja stood once more, wondering the same thing. Nya's weapon had not even left a scratch. The knife had hit him in the chest. He should have been severely injured, but he was not. "What are we going to do?" the samurai continued, looking for the others to input ideas.

Laurie's mind was elsewhere. It had aimed at her, directed the arrow straight towards her. She frowned, feeling a surge of anger well up inside of her. Why was this happening? First it was Rhea and now this thing? Why her? Without thinking, the orange ninja leapt towards the stone man, not even hearing the cries of protest from her friends. She brought her bō staff around horizontally in a wide, sweeping arc. The enemy was taken off of his feet and hit the ground, arrows spilling from his quiver and littering the asphalt. "What do you want with me?" Laurie growled, bringing one end of her weapon down on the creature's chest. Her right arm shuddered from the opposing force of the enemy's body. It really _was_ made of stone.

Once more, the stone man spouted out utter nonsense, forming strings of sounds that Laurie could not understand. Then he grabbed the end of the wooden weapon that was placed on his chest and tugged backwards. Laurie was thrown over top of the creature, her back hitting the brick wall just behind him. She crumpled to the ground, feeling the nerves in her back scream in agony. With gritted teeth, she attempted to get to her knees. Her bō staff rested only a foot away and the orange ninja stretched out her left arm as far as she could, attempting to grab it.

The stone scout locked eyes with his target, advancing upon her in her weakened state. Something smacked him in the side of the head, but he ignored it. There was the snap of an object breaking underneath of the stone scout's right foot. He raised it gingerly to see the girl's weapon broken. Ignoring this, he continued forward.

Tears welled up in Laurie's ice blue eyes as she watched Jay attack the creature, but to no avail. She knelt on the ground and helplessly watched as the mysterious stone man stepped on her bō staff, breaking it in half. That was her weapon, her way to defend herself. Now it was nothing but splintered wood. The small individual now stood in front of Laurie, his crossbow strung with another arrow. Fear and frustration coursed through her veins. This could not be the end, not yet. "Get away from me!" she yelled, holding her hands out in front of her.

Preparing to launch the pointed projectile at the girl, the stone scout readied his crossbow. He was unexpectedly pushed back by a strong rush of air, losing his footing and skidding across the warm asphalt of the street. The sun blazed down from above, causing him to squint his bright green eyes. Disgruntled, the stone man procured the red rice hat that had fallen off of his head and began making his way down the street, in the opposite direction of his adversaries.

Both Nya and Jay were by Laurie's side, helping her to her feet. Zane frowned as he picked up the two halves of the orange ninja's weapon. It looked like she was going to need a new one. "Are you alright?" the Ninja of Lightning asked, giving Laurie a pat on the back. She sucked in a breath and Jay immediately apologized for his actions. "I'm so sorry! Of course you're not alright and I just made it worse." Zane walked around to the back of his friends, dislodging one of his shurikens from the wall and getting Nya's knife off of the ground as well. "How did you do that?" Jay continued, his voice eager with anticipation. "You just blasted him across the street without any weapon!"

"I-I don't know" Laurie confessed, relieved that the radiating pain from the blue ninja's kind gesture was beginning to dissipate. She watched as Zane stowed his shuriken in the holder around his waist and handed Nya her crescent moon knife. The samurai thanked him, placing it back in the dark red sash tied around her waist. Everyone stared at Laurie who just gazed at her broken weapon. "I was just angry and scared. Then I pushed him away." It was all so surreal. Why was she able to use some of her elemental powers without a weapon in which to channel them through? Now that she thought about it, why was she able to even use her element in the first place? The others could not, with the exception of Lloyd of course. Her bō staff was not a golden weapon, so why was she able to channel her element? "Wait, shouldn't we be going after the stone guy? He kind of just fled".

The nindroid nodded his head. "Yes, we should go after it to make sure it does not attack any civilians." His gaze took in every bit of Laurie. There was the pain that was obvious on her face, both from the loss of her weapon and injured back. Her eyes held a flicker of fear and anxiety. "That is, if you are up for it. You have been getting injured quite a bit over the past two days. Perhaps you should attempt to head home and we will follow the stone man."

"No, I'm going to go with you guys" Laurie stated plainly, stepping away from Jay and Nya. She could stand and walk, it was just painful to do so. Attempting to hide this fact from her friends, the orange ninja held her hands out for the broken pieces of her weapon. Zane reluctantly gave them over to her. It almost felt like losing a friend, even a family member. Her weapon had been with her through so much and now it was broken, never to be used again. Inhaling deeply, Laurie dropped the two halves of her bō staff to the ground. "Let's go after him. If we run into the others we need to tell them about what happened. It's like these things are indestructible."

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**So this means during the next chapter we'll check up on the other group. It's only fair, right?**

**Oh and also, you don't have to do what I say, but I'm just putting this out there. My best friend just published his first FanFiction called "Fairy Tail Infinity". So...if you like Fairy Tail then maybe you should go check it out. I'm just saying...**

**Alrighty. Sorry for the excessive amount of noting today. Another update on Tuesday. Thanks for reading and have a great day. :3**


	11. What Lies Within

**Good morning and happy Tuesday! Hope no one was seriously injured in the unfortunate holiday that was April Fool's Day yesterday. Not too fond of that day, no I'm not. Enough about me though, let's see how the other group is doing, shall we?**

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Chapter Eleven: What Lies Within

"Come on, let's keep moving" Cole sighed, noticing that area around them was full of normal pedestrians and not bloodthirsty stone people. He gestured for the rest of the group to follow and they did. Kai stuck closely behind Rhea, refusing to let her out of his sight. The others may have thought that it was a good idea to take her with them, keeping an "eye on her" and everything, but he did not. Given the right opportunity, she could run off and disappear forever. He could not let that happen, not until he had discovered exactly why she was targeting Laurie.

Rhea glanced around at the people who traveled with her. She was anxious, expecting someone to jump out and surprise them at any moment. Slightly, she glanced over her shoulder, eyes drifting to meet Kai's. The two stared at each other until Rhea decided to look somewhere else. Lloyd was walking to her left, his gait steady and purposeful. He looked as if he were prepared to lunge at anything that made its presence noticeable, even if it was a stray kitten that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Lost in thought, the young girl opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. Now was not the time to become complacent with her curse. Perhaps sharing her story with Laurie had not been the best approach to gain her trust. Now Rhea felt too free and unburdened, like a large boulder had been hoisted off of her shoulders. "Stay alert" she suddenly heard Cole say. The leader gestured for the group to follow him down yet another street. "We don't want these things to catch us off guard."

No, it would not be wise to allow the stone warriors to catch them off guard. It was going to be difficult enough to fight them even if they were all caught _on _guard. The young girl felt another wave of anxiety crash over her as the sudden silence of the city made itself apparent. Had everyone just vanished or had they taken shelter from something? Rhea stopped, causing Kai to run into the back of her. The two stumbled slightly, Kai grabbing the back of Rhea's jacket to prevent her from hitting the street. "Why the sudden stop?" the Ninja of Fire inquired, narrowing his eyes. "Trying to run away?"

"Hey, did you notice that everyone else just kind of left the street?" Lloyd added, scanning the asphalt with his emerald green eyes. He could not recall ever seeing the city so empty before. Well, perhaps when the Great Devourer had decided to ransack the city. Not a single soul was wandering the usually busy streets. Something sauntered by, catching Lloyd's attention. It was definitely not human, the black skin an unmistakable detail. "Maybe that's what we're supposed to be looking for" the green ninja whispered.

Kai released his hold on the young girl, solely focused on the mysterious creature now. It had bright blue markings that spread out across its face like cracks in broken glass. A sword was clutched tightly in the creature's right hand as it made its way down the street, bright red shoulder armor gleaming in the sun. "Well, what are we waiting for?" the red ninja asked, feeling a surge of adrenaline rush through his body. "Let's go get him!" Without waiting for a reply, Kai charged at the stone man, watching as he turned his pale green eyes upon him.

"What are you thinking?" Cole called out, pulling his scythe from off of his back. "Kai come back!" He watched helplessly as his brother charged forward, pulling the sword from the holster behind him. Metal sounded against metal as the two blades collided. Kai grunted and attempted to push the stone swordsman backwards. With satisfaction, he watched his enemy stumble slightly before advancing once more, swiping his sword down vertically. Kai jumped to the side, the enemy's blade only missing by the width of a hair. That had been close. The two continued to fight, swords clanging against one another. "Ugh, come on, Lloyd, let's go help him. Stay close though and don't try to attack it unless I say it's okay, alright?" the leader stated, sprinting into the skirmish.

Lloyd nodded his head. "Okay, let's do this!" he yelled, his voice slightly muffled by the material of his mask. He ran to follow the black ninja and suddenly stopped; spinning around to make sure Rhea was following him. With wide eyes, the green ninja scanned the area behind him, looking for any sign of the silent girl. She had been here when Kai first decided it was a decent idea to attack the stone creature head on. Well he hoped that the others were not going to blame him for what was currently happening.

Rhea was gone.

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Anger, it was coursing through her veins like an uncontrollable river. How dare her "father" send his minions out and about to try and do what she was sent to accomplish? Rhea slowed her pace, positive that she was away from the group at this moment in time. When she had made up her mind to slip away, no one had been looking. Thank goodness for that. She continued down the street a little further, her dark brown eyes sweeping the area. He had to be around here somewhere, Rhea just knew it. The soldiers were too incompetent to be let loose without a leader. So where was he? A shadow crossed itself over Rhea's and she turned on her heel to see the individual she had been searching for.

His alabaster skin was greatly contrasted with the blood red markings that crossed over the entirety of his face. An odd helmet adorned his head, black embellishments and carvings sticking up oddly from the top. The whole of his body was adorned in the brightest red armor with silver accents. He gripped two butterfly swords, one in his left hand and the other in his lower right hand. Rhea gave the staggering soldier a condescending salute, angered by his presence. At this moment in time Ninjago City was her turf.

Narrowing his bright green eyes, General Kozu lashed out at the young girl, grabbing the front of her windbreaker with a gloved hand. "Do not treat me with such contempt, girl" he threatened, lifting Rhea off of the ground. She kicked her feet wildly despite herself. There was no reason to give this stone freak any satisfaction in his threats, but her anxiety was taking over. It was not secret that she despised Kozu just as much as he despised her. He was the one who had killed her parents after all. A sudden jolt made the young girl gasp for air as her back hit the asphalt. The tip of a sword was at her throat now and Rhea attempted to control her sporadic breathing for the moment. "You would not want to beg for mercy now, would you? Go ahead, give me a reason not to kill you."

Rhea backed away from the blade, her bare hands scrapping against the rough surface of the ground. She stood, wiping the excess gravel and dirt on to her jeans. "Oh, that's right. You cannot beg for mercy or you would perish just as quickly" the General chuckled, his deep tone creeping its way over Rhea. She narrowed her eyes, drawing her weapons from her hair. This bully was not the only one who wielded two blades. "Stand down" Kozu demanded, holding his swords down at his sides. "I am not here to engage in combat with you. I am here to complete the task that you could not."

She felt her face turn red with both embarrassment and rage. Reluctantly, Rhea tied her karambits back up into her hair, securing a long ponytail. With disdain she began to curl her hands in to different shapes at varying speeds. From a young age, after arriving on the island where her life had been ruined, Rhea had developed an odd sense of communicating with the inhabitants. Her own form of sign language she had created. It had been her only tool for talking and it seemed as if they understood it. _I can complete it _she signed with a frown. _I just need a little bit more time._

"Your time is up" Kozu spit, advancing towards her. Rhea tensed up, prepared to pull out her weapons at a moment's notice. "He grows impatient and is beginning to doubt how efficient you truly are in your tasks." A deep chuckle made its way from his throat to the open air as he pushed Rhea aside, continuing his way down the street.

Rhea ran after the stone man, maneuvering around him to block the path. _No, you have to leave the job up to me_ Rhea continued, obviously angered by the assumptions her "father" was now making. _I have infiltrated these ninja, become closer with the target and her relative. All I need is a little more time. The perfect opportunity will arise to take her down, that I can promise._ She stood, arms crossed over her chest, waiting for Kozu to respond.

He drew one of his blades on the young girl once more, but she did not flinch. The metal wavered an inch from the hollow of her throat. "Can you promise it?" the General asked, his voice full of malice. "I could just find her now and kill her now, then come back for you." Rhea could almost hear Kozu's sharpened teeth grinding against each other with every word. "I should have taken care of you seven years ago anyways." Lowering his sword, Kozu fished into a leather pouch around his waist with one of his free hands, procuring a small black box from within. The lustrous material of the box caught the sunlight as the General thrust it towards Rhea.

She grabbed it with uncertainty, cautiously beginning to pry the thin lid off of the object. "Don't do that" Kozu chastised, his voice raised. Rhea shook slightly, abandoning her intent and shoving the box into the left pocket of her windbreaker. It was thin, barely visible through the lavender material. "You will know what to do with the artifact that lies within. At least, I hope you will know what to do with it." The stone man leaned in close to Rhea, his helmet only inches from her face. "This is your last chance, pipsqueak. I will inform him of what you have told me, but I will not expect him to change his mind. You have a week at the most, a couple days at the best."

A couple of days? How was she supposed to successfully do anything in only two days? Rhea was hoping that her "father" would be more understanding and provide her the week; of course, with Kozu explaining the situation that seemed like a lost hope and cause. The young girl nodded her head when the General grabbed her jacket yet again. "I will be the first one waiting for your failure" he hissed, staring into Rhea's dark brown eyes. "When you fail I will be back to clean up the mess properly."

"Leave her alone!" came a voice from behind. Rhea craned her neck to see Lloyd standing only feet away, his eyebrows knit in anger. Oh no, this was not good.

Rhea turned back towards the General who only continued to stare at the young ninja. Seeing as he was currently distracted, Rhea grabbed a single karambit from her hair and stabbed Kozu in his chest armor. He released her, utterly confused by the situation. A frustrated cry escaped his lips and he lunged towards her with both of swords. _No, stop! I'm not really fighting_ Rhea tried to explain, ducking quickly underneath one of the blades. She looked up at the stone man, pleading in her irises. _Just try and play along. They think I'm on their side_.

"You are a traitor!" General Kozu shouted, bringing the sword in his lower right hand around from the side. Rhea's eyes widened as she attempted to step back from the attack. The blade caught her left arm, just above the elbow, causing a superficial wound. "I knew you weren't to be trusted. Give me back the item, now!" He charged at the disoriented girl who managed to roll to her right as the twin swords came down yet again. Angered, she pulled the other weapon from her hair, feeling her long hair fall down around her.

A weak crackle of electricity came from somewhere behind, making contact with one of Kozu's blades. He shook for a second and stumbled backwards before locking on to Rhea once more. Thankfully, she had gotten the opportunity to stand now and charged towards him. Quickly, she jumped over a low swing of one sword and managed to kick the weapon away from the General. It clattered across the asphalt, coming to rest against the wall of a building. There were footsteps approaching from behind and Rhea turned around to see Lloyd running towards her. "Rhea, I'm here to help you!" he called out, placing his palms together. A large flame flickered to life and he hurled it towards the stone man. Rhea ducked quickly, feeling the blast of heat travel above her head. Then, she was yanked upwards by her hair. Pain traveling through every nerve in her scalp, the young girl kicked out as she felt her feet leave the ground. There was a blade at her throat and Rhea held her breath, silently cursing herself for being distracted by Lloyd's attempts at bravery.

"Stand down" Kozu stated plainly, pressing the cold metal of the sword harder against Rhea's throat. She inhaled sharply and attempted to kick backwards, but her foot did not make contact with any portion of the General's body. He was not playing along at all. No, he genuinely thought that she was betraying him, betraying them all. Kozu yanked Rhea's hair roughly once more and she held back a soft yelp that rose in her throat. "Leave now and she will live. Allow me to take care of business that is my own." He made a shooing motion with his two free hands which greatly angered the green ninja. "Be gone".

Narrowing his emerald green eyes, Lloyd shook his head. "No" he challenged suddenly thrusting a fist into the ground. It shook violently, small cracks and crevices crossing along the fading asphalt. Rhea felt the hand grabbing her hair release her and she fell to the ground with a hard thud. The shaking continued for a little while longer, causing her teeth to chatter together. With slightly blurred vision, Rhea watched as General Kozu unsteadily made his way over to the unmanned blade that still lay along the nearby wall. "He will know of your treachery" she heard him announce, before he sprinted away from the two children, taking a street farther down.

The ground ceased its trembling and Rhea managed to pull her hair back with her twin weapons, sighing softly as some of the strands pulled uncomfortably in her grip. Lloyd approached slowly, taking a knee next to her. "Are you alright?" he asked, his tone serious. "Why did you run away from the group?"

Feeling slightly overwhelmed with the events that had just unfolded and the threat Kozu had made, Rhea pulled the small notepad and pen from her right pocket. _I'm fine_ she wrote, the letters a little shaky and difficult to decipher. _And I didn't run away. I saw that thing ran past me while you were all distracted and I decided to follow him._ She handed the note to Lloyd to read, hoping that the lie she had created was believable enough. Absentmindedly, her left hand flew to her other pocket where she could feel the corners of the small box through the material of her windbreaker. Kozu had demanded that she return it to him, so it had to have been extremely important. Rhea's curiosity was overwhelming and she wanted to take a quick peek at the artifact that lay within, but she decided against it. Lloyd or the others could not know of its existence. That much was imperative.

"As long as you're okay" Lloyd smiled, handing the paper back to Rhea. She brought herself back to reality, grabbing the paper from her friend and placing it back into her right pocket. Yes, she was fine, but none of that would have happened if Lloyd had not shown up. His presence had instigated her to act against Kozu. Lloyd truly believed that she was changing, that there was something more to her, so she could not shatter that cover. Rhea stood suddenly, brushing herself off before heading towards the direction where Lloyd had come from. "Hey, wait up!" the green ninja called out, walking quickly to catch up with the silent girl. "I just want you to know that you shouldn't run off by yourself. Things like that could happen. It was a good thing I managed to find you when I did. You could have been killed!"

Lloyd was explaining to _her_ the dangers of running off by yourself? _He_ had been the one to do it originally, getting caught by that short, black snake. She was capable of taking care of herself and Kozu was just going to let her go, right? That was how it seemed to have been going before Lloyd had come. A small part of Rhea thanked Lloyd for the help he had given her. She had been in a tight spot yet again and he had helped her through it. Yet there was the voice in her head that continued to inform her that Lloyd was the one who had put her in danger. Ignoring the sound advice from the green ninja, Rhea continued on ahead. That was when she realized she had no clue where she was going. Stopping short, Lloyd bumped in to Rhea and the two stumbled forward. "What's wrong?" Lloyd asked, managing to regain his balance rather quickly.

Rhea grabbed the paper and from her pocket once more. _I don't know the city very well and I'm kind of lost. Where are we going anyways?_

"Oh, just follow me and I'll take you back to where I left the guys" Lloyd replied, taking the lead as the two continued walking. Rhea frowned yet again. Here was another example of Lloyd ignoring his own advice and running off by himself. Why was it alright for him to do these things and not her? Then again, she had been by herself when she had rescued him from the snake only to day before. Rhea shook her head back and forth slightly, trying to clear her thoughts. She and Lloyd were so similar in a way: they were both reckless at times. A small smile crossed her lips as the young girl stared at the ground. Well usually friends had things in common.

"There you guys are!" Cole called out. Rhea looked up to see both the black and red ninja running towards them. They seemed to be a little battered and bruised, but nothing too serious. She was impressed with their fighting skills, able to withstand a fight against an enemy who was completely made of stone. "Lloyd, I told you to stay close to me. Why are you out here? I thought someone had taken you."

Kai's eyes drifted to meet Rhea's and she quickly focused back on the ground. "Rhea ran off after one of the stone people and I went to find her" Lloyd answered truthfully. "It's not smart to be wandering around alone when enemies are around." The young girl watched as Cole sighed and rubbed his temples. Well, it seemed as if he were slightly frustrated at Lloyd's contradictory statements too. "She was caught by a large one. He looked like he was their leader, but he got away."

"As long as you're safe, that's fine" the red ninja answered, sheathing his sword. The gleaming metal blade caught the sunlight, reflecting it into Rhea's eyes. She rubbed her eyes furiously, watching as green dots obstructed her vision with every blink. "The one we were fighting ran off too. They probably went to regroup somewhere. Unfortunately, I don't know where that could be." Rhea's eyesight was clearing up and she frowned. She knew exactly where they were going, but it was outside of Ninjago. "I guess we should just head back to the apartment now and meet up with everyone else."

Cole nodded in agreement and gestured for the group to follow him. Rhea stayed next to Lloyd as they traveled, her eyes focused on the asphalt, but her mind somewhere else. The box that now rested in her pocket held something within, something that would aid her in her mission. She dug her hands into her pockets and felt the sturdy corners of the small box against the skin of her knuckles. When the time came to use whatever it was that sat inside of the box, she hoped she would know what to do with it.

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**So there is a bit of predicament that's occurring: I've caught up with myself with the updating. Don't get me wrong, I've finished chapter twelve so there will definitely be an update on Friday, but I need to start trying to focus more on writing so I can update twice a week. Depending on how far I am in chapter thirteen by next Tuesday, I may start to only update once a week. Sorry about that.**

**Hey, you don't need to because I know you don't want to, but I posted a new story called "Intertwined" and I just want to know if it's good enough to continue. It's not Ninjago, it's Sands of Destruction, but I tried to explain everything simply so it's easy to follow without having played the game. All I want to know is if it sounds good enough to continue. Cool.**

**Well, have a great day and see you on Friday. Thanks for reading. :)**


	12. Secrets

**Happy Friday! Time for another update, but there's something I have to say first. Lloyd does something...special in this chapter. I didn't come up with it though. All of the credit goes to Packerfan95 for Lloyd's ability and for something else. Hmm...**

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Chapter Twelve: Secrets

The lights in the bathroom flickered slightly as Lloyd flipped the switch on. A rhythmic buzzing sound lasted for about a minute before dissipating entirely. When he had arrived home with his friends the other group was nowhere to be found. He hoped that everything was alright and that they were being extremely careful while looking for the strange, stone creatures.

With a sigh, the blonde boy pulled off the top of his gi, leaving him in green pants and a white undershirt. The tightly wrapped bandages around his left shoulder and upper arm stuck out like a sore thumb against his skin. Taking in a deep breath, Lloyd pushed up the left sleeve of his undershirt and slowly began to unravel the bandages. He wanted to see how his wound was healing. The closer Lloyd got to the actual injury, the more bloody the bandages became. Mentally preparing himself for the worst, the green ninja unwrapped the last bit of bandage that was draped over his shoulder.

A laceration about an inch long adorned the skin on Lloyd's left shoulder. He eyed it carefully in the mirror, attempting to see how deep it went. Considering the soreness and pain that radiated from the wound whenever he lifted or rotated his arm, he could only guess that it had caused more damaged than he had originally thought. The skin around the edges of the wound was a light indigo, bruising from the sudden trauma. Frowning, Lloyd made his way over to a small cabinet that sat in the corner of the room and procured a single white washcloth from within.

After throwing the bloodied bandages into the garbage can, Lloyd approached the sink. The water rushed out as he turned the cold faucet on and placed the washcloth carefully underneath. Startled slightly by the chill of the water, Lloyd shivered before shutting the faucet back off. With both hands, he rung the excess liquid from the washcloth and then placed the damped cloth over the top of his wound. He had never tried doing this by himself before, only with the aid of someone else. Well he was the green ninja so he should have the capability to do it alone, right?

Closing his emerald green eyes, the young ninja concentrated on trying to heal the laceration on his shoulder. Lloyd envisioned it closing up and disappearing, his grip on the washcloth tightening slightly. Even behind his eyelids he could see the bright blue light that was beginning to emanate from the washcloth. Lloyd continued to concentrate, feeling the water making contact with the laceration. The blinding light began to fade and the green ninja finally dared to open his eyes.

Bringing the white cloth away from his shoulder slowly, Lloyd gave a wide grin. The wound was no longer there, it was completely gone. Even the skin that had been damaged seemed to be completely healed with no traces of scar tissue or discoloring. "I did it" the boy breathed, feeling a sense of triumph and happiness overwhelm him. Continuing to smile, Lloyd placed the washcloth on the edge of the sink, noticing how clean it looked; as if he had never even used it in the first place. "I did it!" Lloyd said once more, unable to contain the excitement that was still growing inside of him.

"Yeah, you did it alright" came a familiar voice as the door to the bathroom opened up.

Lloyd spun around quickly, startled by the sudden addition of another person in the small room. Laurie looked back at her younger brother, her eyes slightly narrowed and lips in a thin line. "Hey, sis" the green ninja smiled, leaning back against the sink and crossing his arms over his chest. "Did you guys happen to find any of the weird stone guys walking around? We found some and boy were they tough to fight!"

Closing the bathroom door behind her, the orange ninja stepped closer to her brother and pulled him into a tight embrace. Lloyd was taken aback by the sudden, and slightly painful, sign of affection. "Why do you keep doing this, Lloyd?" he heard Laurie sigh. As much as he wanted to reply, the green ninja could not. His face was currently squished against his sister's abdomen. "You keep running off and putting yourself in danger. Cole told me what you told him. It's nice of you, wanting to try and protect others, but you need to look out for yourself too. You're too important to Ninjago, to _all of us_. If something had happened…" Her voice trailed off, not wanting to complete the thought.

With a small grunt of effort, the green ninja managed to squirm out of his sister's grip. He stood before her, his eyes both sad and determined. "Nothing happened, Laurie" Lloyd sighed, leaning back against the sink and placing his right hand back on the washcloth. It slipped across the slick plastic surface, causing Lloyd to lose his balance. He felt weightless as the floor started coming up to greet him. Strong hands gripped his underarms, pulling him back up. It was his sister, anxiety in her ice blue eyes. She hoisted him back on to his feet, making sure he was steady. "Thanks" Lloyd breathed, his heart rate slowly beginning to return to normal. "Those were some fast reflexes."

"Lloyd…where is it?" Laurie questioned, her voice barely audible.

What was she talking about? Utterly confused, the young boy stared up at his sibling's face that seemed to grow paler with each passing second. The air seemed to still around them, growing tense and awkward. "Where's what?" Lloyd replied, feeling Laurie's grip on his arms tighten. "I don't understand what you're talking about. Where's _what_?" Finally, the green ninja noticed that she was not even staring directly at him, but to the side of him.

It seemed impossible. It _was_ impossible. Laurie clearly saw the skin where Lloyd's wound had been, the one he had received during his fight with Skalidor; where his wound _had_ been. Injuries just did not disappear. They did not just evaporate into thin air. She shook her head back and forth. It must have been on the other arm, she just did not remember correctly. With a shaking hand, Laurie pulled the right sleeve of Lloyd's shirt up past his shoulder. A pale scar stared back at her, the slightly discolored patch of skin gleaming in the light of the room. "Your wound, Lloyd, where is it?" Laurie asked again, more forcefully this time. "There's that scar too, where'd you get that?"

The wide grin returned once more to Lloyd's face. "It's gone. I healed myself." He held his arms out wide as if he were a magician, waiting for the thundering applause of the audience after his final trick. "Ta-da" he finished, turning the entirety of his left shoulder towards Laurie. Her face was a mask of utter shock and disbelief, but he expected no different. It was not every day that someone was able to heal themselves of an injury. "I did it all by myself too! I didn't even need help from…" but his sentence trailed off as he averted his gaze to the floor suddenly. "The scar though, it was from an accident that happened a little while back, so don't worry about it, okay?"

She ignored the latter of Lloyd's explanation, her thoughts solely on Lloyd's broken sentence. "From?" the orange ninja asked. Her breath seemed to be slightly labored, as if she had been running for a short amount of time. Was Lloyd hiding something from her? "From who?" she prompted, attempting to extract the information from her brother. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I'm always here for you, Lloyd. Never forget that." Curiosity was eating her up on the inside.

Lloyd frowned slightly, keeping his gaze on the floor. He slowly looked up, hurt and sadness flooding his emerald green eyes. It almost look as if he were about to cry. "I just don't want to talk about it right now, sorry" he apologized, his voice soft and far away. "You can understand that, can't you, sis?" Suddenly, the green ninja was pulling Laurie into a hug. Her eyes widened slightly as she protectively placed her arms around the young boy. "Please promise me you'll never go away or leave me, Laurie. Can you promise me that?" Lloyd's voice was slightly muffled as he spoke.

Laurie raised her right hand and quickly ran her fingers through her brother's blonde hair. "Of course I'll never leave you" she cooed, cupping the back of Lloyd's head with her hand. Where was this coming from? Of course she would never leave Lloyd, especially now that they were finally together after years of separation. No sooner did the words leave Laurie's lips before she wished she could take them back. She was to die. Even if it was not to happen for months or years, she had to perish in order for Lloyd to win. Her grip on Lloyd tightened and Laurie watched as some of her red hair draped lazily over the top of the young boy's head. It reminded her of blood and she pulled away from Lloyd, feeling a little disoriented. "You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to, alright?" she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "I need to talk to you about something though."

"You should have seen it! The thing just went flying across the street before it ran off." Jay's excited voice was audible from the other room in the apartment. "I don't know how she did it, but it was pretty cool!"

Placing her hand on her forehead, Laurie sighed. "Well, I wanted to talk with you about it first before I let everyone else know, but it seems that Jay has other plans." The quizzical look on Lloyd's face grew as the nonsensical chatter continued to spill from Jay's mouth. "Come on, let's just go" Laurie stated, opening the door and gesturing for Lloyd to exit the bathroom. He grabbed his gi off of the floor and quickly shrugged it on before leaving the small room.

Both siblings entered the main room and saw Jay standing, his arms gesticulating wildly as he continued to recount the run-in with the stone man. The others stood in a loose circle around him, but Laurie could not tell if they were actually listening to what the Ninja of Lightning had to say or not. "Hey, there she is now" Jay grinned, turning his hazel eyes on the orange ninja. She rubbed her left arm awkwardly with her right hand as she made her way over to her bed and sat down. "Tell everyone what happened in the street."

"I'm pretty sure you covered it already" Laurie breathed, crossing her arms over her chest. "The thing came at me and I just kind of pushed him away…using the air." Lloyd's eyes widened and Laurie felt her face become very warm. "I don't know how I did it, it just happened. The only thing I can't seem to understand is why I could do it." The group fell silent, just as she had originally been anticipating. "I've never had a golden weapon or anything so I shouldn't be able to use my element at all. Today was the first time I'd ever done anything like that, and it startled me."

Zane stepped forward, away from his brothers and closer to the red head. "This was not the first time you have used your element in a battle." Laurie gazed up at her friend with a puzzled expression. Of course that was the first time it had ever happened. If she had done it before she would have remembered. "When we first fought side by side in the city, shortly after your arrival, you attacked us while under Skales' control. It was then that you used your staff to create a small whirlwind, pushing us backwards along the asphalt." Laurie could feel the muscles in her back tense slightly as she leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands. So she _had_ done something of the sort before, she just could not remember the incident. "Not to mention the vacuum that you created back in Ouroboros. I am not quite sure how you forgot about that one, considering it nearly killed you."

Her cheeks blushed a brighter shade of red. Not only was the conversation centered on her at this moment in time, but now Laurie was forgetting another instance where she had used her element without a golden weapon. "Oh yeah, that's right." Her ice blue gaze drifted towards Rhea who seemed interested in this topic. Her big eyes focused intently on the orange ninja and she leaned forward slightly as if to be more involved with the conversation without actually coming closer. "Well now I don't even have _any_ kind of weapon because mine was ruined" Laurie sighed. Maybe she did not even need a weapon anymore. Perhaps she could try and concentrate on this ability of hers.

"Don't worry about your staff, Laurie" Cole smiled. "They're a dime a dozen. We'll get you a new one." Plastering a false smile upon her face, Laurie nodded in acknowledgement. Despite how childish it sounded, she actually missed her weapon. Yes, she could always get another one, but that staff had been with her since the beginning. Perhaps it was for the better though. Her father had been the one he gave it to her in the first place. "I'm sure Dareth has extra weapons lying around the dojo. There has to be a bō staff there somewhere" the leader finished, bringing Laurie back to reality.

"Sounds like a plan" she answered, still slightly distracted. "So, Lloyd was telling me that you guys ran into some of those things too. How did it go?" The obvious sound of a door closing hard caused the orange ninja to jump slightly. Everyone turned to see the bathroom door shut and faint light spilling out from the space in between the floor and the bottom of the plaster door. Laurie blinked, turning back towards the others as Kai dove into a yarn about how he had single handedly detained the stone warrior. Cole rubbed his temples furiously.

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Immediately after closing herself off from the ninja, Rhea turned on the faucet. Water poured down from the spout, filling the minuscule room with an abundance of sound. Feeling jittery and anxious, the young girl reached into the right pocket of her windbreaker and pulled out the small, black box that lay within.

It was smaller than she had originally perceived it to be: around the size of small pack of sticky notes. Extremely thin in height, Rhea held the container delicately in the palm of her right hand. She recalled Kozu telling her not to open it, but how was she supposed to know what to do with the contents without first seeing what lay inside? With her left thumb, the young girl raised the lid and held her breath. She felt the entirety of the lid slip off and then leaned forward slightly to gaze at the object that lay inside.

As the sheer size of the box was small, the artifact inside was particularly tiny. It was round and sat upon layers of what appeared to be cotton. Frowning, Rhea dug the tiny object out of the box and placed it in her left palm. The appearance was similar to that of sequin that normally adorned the fancy and ornate dresses of those who could actually afford them, though it was not flat. Slightly, the surface concaved upwards, reflecting Rhea's melancholy facial expression. Extremely upset with what appeared to be nothing at all, she held it up closer to the light.

Originally the color had appeared to be black, but when exposed to the light Rhea could see that it was actually a deep purple; a hue of purple so dark that its very appearance changed, like the feathers of a raven. Rhea felt her heart beat speed up as a sudden realization began to spread over her. She now knew exactly what this was. How she was going to use it remained to be seen, but she would think of something eventually. Exhaling deeply, the young girl placed the small, black object back inside of the box and closed the lid on it tightly.

The running water was just another background noise, mixing with the idle chatter that wafted in from the main room. Rhea had to think. She gazed at herself in the mirror and her dark brown eyes widened. Around her neck were the faint, yellow markings of bruises, barely visible through her tan complexion. They had to have been from her encounter with that snake yesterday. Sighing, Rhea stared at the ugly patches of discolored skin encircling her neck.

Wait, that was it.

A small smirk crept its way across Rhea's face and she tossed her light blue hair back over her shoulder. Grabbing the black box off of the sink, she shoved it once more into the depths of her windbreaker. Her mind reeled as she shut off the water and opened the door. Soft conversation greeted Rhea as she noticed everyone now seated around the large table near the kitchenette. Quickly, the young girl made her way over to her corner and took a seat. Faint sunlight attempted to break through the broken blinds and make its presence known, but Rhea was too distracted to notice.

She was too busy thinking of a way to put her plan into action.

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**Okay, cool. So I've caught up to myself updating wise. All of the chapters up until now were pre-written way in advance. School is crazy and life gets busy. My progress significantly slowed. From now on I will be updating just once a week, on Fridays. When finals week comes I won't be posting at all, but I'll let you know in advanced when that is.**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, and just being awesome. See you next Friday! :3**


	13. Liar

**Happy Friday! Alright, let's just get moving right along, shall we? Honestly, I had so much fun writing the first part of this chapter. Also, I like delving into and exploiting the emotional fears of characters. Enjoy. :3**

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Chapter Thirteen: Liar

_A subtle breeze blew its way across the entirety of Ninjago Park. The green grass rippled like the waves of a small ocean. Laurie sat upon the vegetation, dressed casually in a pair of denim shorts and a plain orange tank top. Her knees were pulled in close to her chest as the warm sun cast its rays down upon her. It was nice and peaceful, the only ambient sounds being the whistle of the wind and the occasional call of an undetermined bird. She gave a sigh and rested her chin in between her knee caps. The day was absolutely beautiful, but she felt as if something was terribly wrong. She felt empty._

_"What are you up to?" asked a voice. The sudden pressure of a hand on her shoulder, made Laurie whip her head around. Kai stood behind her, a kind smile on his face. He knelt down behind her, his dark blue jeans contrasted heavily against the bright green grass. Laurie swiveled herself around to face the red ninja, resting her palms slightly behind her for balance. "You're just sitting here all by yourself. Needed a little peace and quiet?"_

_She let out a breath and gazed into Kai's eyes. "I guess so," Laurie answered plainly. The wind picked up slightly, blowing her hair around her face. Frustrated, she attempted to fix the mess, but quickly gave up. "I'm not by myself anymore though. You're here with me."_

_Kai stood up suddenly, a flash of pain shadowing his features. "If you want me to leave, I'll just go." The red ninja shoved his hands into the conjoined pocket on the front of his sweatshirt and turned on his heel, walking away in the direction he had come from. His gait was slow, but it seemed as if his silhouette was growing smaller quickly._

_Laurie got to her feet, stumbling slightly, and ran after him. "Kai, wait!" she called out, feeling her bare feet pound hard against the ground. He did not turn around to acknowledge her and Laurie willed herself to go faster. She could feel the muscles in her legs and thighs protesting, but she attempted to ignore them. A stitch was beginning to form in her lower, left abdomen. The orange ninja squeezed her eyes closed as the cramp pulled harder, demanding her attention. Yet she still continued to run. When Laurie finally opened her eyes, she was alone once more. Kai had disappeared._

_The scenery around her seemed unchanged. A single, shady oak tree sat a few feet away. The grass continued to sway in the light breeze. Surrounding the park were the large skyscrapers of Ninjago City. Laurie fell to her knees feeling confused. She had ran after Kai, right? Her aching muscles were leading her to conclude that the answer was "yes". If that was the case, then why did it appear as if she had not left the spot she currently occupied?_

_"Hey, Laurie, what's up?"_

_She turned around to see who was addressing her, still kneeling on the ground. It was Jay, a large smile plastered across his face. Cole and Zane stood on either side of him, waving, while Nya slowly walked up to join them. "Not much," she replied, her breathing uneven and slightly labored. "Kai was just here. Did you happen to pass him?" He could not have gotten too far away. Then again, he had traveled in the opposite direction. She turned her attention back towards the oak tree. "He was here and then he was just gone." Sighing, Laurie returned her ice blue gaze back to her four friends._

_They were gone._

_A frigid gust of wind exploded across the park and Laurie wrapped her arms tightly around herself. The sun had disappeared behind menacing looking clouds. The distinct rumble of thunder echoed throughout the area and a bright flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Laurie felt her heart rate quicken and she quickly made her way over to the lonely oak tree. The shade cast down by the towering branches and leaves made the teenager feel even colder. As she leaned back against the trunk, the rough bark scratched the exposed skin on her shoulders._

_"I always thought it was the dark that scared you, not storms."_

_Tensing up, Laurie looked down at the ground to see Lloyd sitting next to her. His blonde hair blew wildly in the strong wind. "I'm not scared of storms" she breathed, suddenly feeling calmer. Laurie repositioned herself, sliding her back down the bark of the tree and taking a seat next to her brother. Without thinking, she grabbed for the green ninja's right hand and held it tightly in hers. "You haven't seen the others, have you?" she questioned, scanning the area in front of them. Rain was beginning to pour down in sheets, causing her visibility to decrease._

_The young boy shook his head. "No, it's just you and me." Rain drops were breaking through the umbrella-like canopy above them, plastering sections of his hair to his scalp. His green tee shirt was slowly becoming a darker hue. Laurie felt her own hair stick to her cheeks and neck as the rain came down even harder. The roaring of the thunder was barely audible over the sound of the precipitation hammering down against the foliage above them. "You wanted to know, didn't you?" Lloyd asked suddenly, turning his attention on his sister. "You wanted to know about my healing power; about the scar on my shoulder, right?"_

_Laurie felt her heart skip a beat as she met Lloyd's emerald green eyes. She did want to know. It all seemed so odd and mysterious. As she opened her mouth to answer, something shining in the distance caught her attention. Squinting, the orange ninja attempted to make out the object that was refracting light, but she could not. The rain was pouring down incessantly. "Hold that thought and I'll be right back," she answered, getting to her feet. There was the faint outline of someone standing out in the grass. "Don't move, Lloyd. I'm coming right back." Then she ran._

_The slick vegetation was unforgiving on her bare feet, causing the teenager to stumble and slip often. She tripped, landing hard on her knees and hands. As if a ghost, the mysterious silhouette seemed to stay distant from her, just out of her reach as she made her journey. The rain soaked every inch of Laurie, the water dripping off the tip of her nose and eyelashes. Getting to her feet, she continued her trek towards the figure. It was growing closer now. Laurie held her right hand up above her eyes, attempting to shield her vision from the rain. There it was, right in front of her now, the shining object held in the stranger's right hand. Unfortunately, the object was a blade._

_Holding the blade was Rhea._

_Her grip on the single karambit was intense. Laurie could see the young girl's knuckles turning white. Slowly, the orange ninja backed away; Rhea followed her, eyes hidden by the long, blue bangs that were plastered against her forehead. A creeping grin spread across her tan face, causing a lump of panic to rise in Laurie's throat. She turned back towards the oak tree and bolted. Every chilled breath rattled through her chest as the slippery grass attempted to trip her up. Laurie did not dare take a glance back to see how close Rhea was. No, she needed to get Lloyd and get out of here. The unmistakable form of the towering tree was growing closer with each step. Using every ounce of energy she could muster, the orange ninja shot forward, until her sprinting was stopped by an invisible force._

_It felt like a wall, solid and unyielding. Laurie banged her fists against the air, trying to find a way to get to the tree. She could see Lloyd, only feet away, his head bowed down slightly. He stood slowly before approaching his sister. The strong wind pushed against him and Laurie was terrified that he was going to blow away into the storm, but his path was straight and steady. He was inches from her now, separated by the invisible barrier. Lloyd lifted his head, his expression emotionless. "You said you'd never leave me," he stated plainly. "You promised."_

_A hand grabbed Laurie's left arm, but she knew who was behind her. The orange ninja could not take her eyes off of her brother. He looked so indifferent to the entire situation, yet there was something hidden in his eyes: disappointment. "I'm not going to leave you, Lloyd" Laurie cried out, feeling hot tears slip down her cheeks. It felt as if they were burning her icy skin. Once more, the teenager attempted to push her way through the barrier. "I promised and I won't break that promise!"_

_"You're a liar." With that, Lloyd turned away from his sister and disappeared into the pouring rain._

_Rhea's grip on Laurie intensified. The orange ninja turned to face the small girl, feeling lost and scared. Her assailant looked up, brushing her bangs to the side with her free hand, the blade of the karambit nearly grazing her forehead in the process. Laurie felt her blood run cold as she stared into Rhea's eyes. They were reminiscent of those of a wild animal, no regret or remorse, and instead of the usually dark brown color, her irises were a bright green. Reaching into the pocket of her windbreaker, Rhea brought out a single piece of paper and handed it to Laurie._

_With shaking hands, the orange ninja took the note. The paper almost immediately started to disintegrate in her hands as the rain took its fury out on it. Despite this, the message was clear. Ink from the paper dripped down the pale blue lines as the single word continued to stare Laurie in the face. Then the paper could not bear the weight of the precipitation any longer. It fell to the ground with a loud thud and lay in a messy pile, but the word haunted Laurie and echoed the last words Lloyd had said to her._

_Liar._

_She fell to her knees without the strength to stand. Rhea moved her left hand from Laurie's arm to her shoulder, gripping it tightly. Then she brought the karambit around and buried it into the left side of Laurie's chest. The orange ninja barely felt the metal blade pierce her flesh or muscles. She was a liar and she was alone. Blood began pouring out of the wound, soaking into the material of her tank top and mixing with the rain. Light rivers of crimson made their way down her abdomen and legs before falling to the earth. The warmth of the blood felt nice, better than the icy rain that had been soaking her to the bone for so long now. Laurie fell on to her right side, arm pinned between her body and the ground._

_It was cold now, colder than it had previously been. The rain came down even harder, shrouding Rhea from Laurie's view. Sighing, Laurie could feel a bubbling sensation deep within her chest. She shuttered to even think what was happening internally. The cold was spreading now, to every region of her body. It felt terrible, freezing from the inside and out. No warmth whatsoever. Blood continued to seep out of the wound and Laurie managed to pull the karambit from her chest with her left hand. The rain washed the remnants of blood from the blade and Laurie gazed at her own reflection in the metal._

_Her skin was completely white, devoid of any pigment. Even her freckles seemed to be drained of their color. The light in her ice blue eyes was dying with her, beginning to dull. She threw the small weapon away, as far as it would go. It was swallowed up by the unrelenting rain storm. Tears continued to stream down her face, but they no longer felt warm. In fact, she did not feel much of anything now._

_Laurie's own reflection, the face of a liar, was the last thing she saw before she was enveloped by darkness: the one thing that truly did terrify her._

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A shaky gasp escaped her lips as she shot up in bed. There was a pain in the left side of her chest and Laurie quickly threw the covers off, expecting to find a deep wound from Rhea's weapon. There was nothing there of course. Slowly, Laurie began to realize that the pain was only from the rapid pounding of her own heart. She threw her legs over the bed, feeling the cool air of the apartment envelop her. Every inch of her body was covered in sweat, her red hair sticking to her neck and face. It was only a dream, but it had felt so real and terrifying.

"Whoa, are you alright?" asked Cole, a single bushy eyebrow raised in both confusion and concern. Laurie turned towards the leader and gave a small nod. She felt utterly nauseous and clammy. "You don't look alright to me," he continued, crossing his arms over his chest. "What happened; just a bad dream?"

There was a lump that sat idle in Laurie's throat and she swallowed hard, attempting to push it away. "Yeah, a really bad dream," the orange ninja breathed. Slowly, everyone was beginning to stir around her. She had awakened in time to start the day along with everyone else. Her eyes drifted to Lloyd who sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes furiously. Laurie's stomach felt heavy and sick as he turned towards her and gave a sleepy grin. Without returning any gesture, the teenager quickly jumped out of her bed, grabbed a gi from her dresser, and headed straight towards the bathroom.

Being closed off from everyone right now was extremely comforting. Laurie looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale, but not devoid of any color. The freckles on her face were noticeable, a light brown. She breathed a sigh of relief and placed both hands on the sink as her head bowed slightly. There was still some time left, a little bit of life left in her. Without much else to do, Laurie began changing into her gi while contemplating the purpose of her new found abilities. Perhaps this all had to do with her prophecy. That made the most sense at least.

_"You're a liar."_

The words suddenly made their presence known as she thought about her destiny. Laurie froze while tying the deep orange sash around her gi. She had to tell Lloyd the truth eventually. He had to know in advance that his victory depended solely on her defeat. A chill ran down the girl's spine and Laurie hastily finished tying her sash, moving now to pull her hair back. What if Lloyd felt betrayed by the news, refused to talk with her because she had promised to never leave him? With a set jaw, Laurie made up her mind. She was going to tell Lloyd the truth and it was going to be today.

Ignoring the shaking of her hands, the orange ninja pushed the bathroom door open and entered into the main room of the apartment. Everyone was busy running about, grabbing weapons and heading towards the door. "Sensei is waiting!" Laurie heard Jay call out as the ninja quickly made their way out of the home. Nya followed closely behind, trailing behind a very reluctant Rhea. Feeling a sense of encroaching urgency, the teenager turned towards her bed to procure her staff, but frowned. The ledge that it normally sat on was empty. Sighing, she turned back towards the door.

"Come on, sis, let's go!" Lloyd gave a large smile, grabbing Laurie's right wrist and practically dragging her across the wooden floor. His hand reached the metal doorknob, turning it quickly and throwing the door open. They were out in the city now. Laurie could see the others turning down a street not to far up ahead, on their way to the dojo. "You should focus your training on figuring out how to control your elemental powers," the green ninja stated plainly, tugging Laurie forward. She could tell he was excited, pure enthusiasm running through his veins. "Maybe the guys will let us train with each other! We both need to try and master your element before we have to fight Dad –"

There was an emotion making its presence known inside of her. Unfortunately, Laurie could not tell if she was feeling slightly elated or anxious. "Wait, the Dark Lord from the prophecy is our father?" she asked curiously. Yes, she loathed him with every fiber of her being, but Laurie was not sure that she would be able to watch him die. Of course, she would already be gone before that happened. "Lloyd, are you sure you're ready for that?"

A flicker of doubt crossed her younger brother's face for a second. It was quickly replaced by determination and something else: underlined anger. "When the time comes I _will_ be ready, Laurie. It's my destiny after all. I'm not going to let you guys down." Lloyd stared hard into his sibling's eyes. "I can't do it alone though. That's why I need you and the others beside me."

Destiny. The word itself was slowly beginning to make Laurie feel ill. Walking to the dojo with Lloyd felt like walking towards her inevitable death. "Hey, Lloyd, I have to talk you about something." She took a deep breath, attempting to figure out the right way to tell her brother about her own destiny. "You see, I'm not…"

Lloyd grabbed Laurie's hand, the two continuing to walk down the street. "I know what you're going to say, but I just want to tell you that I know you can do it." He did not turn to face her, but the teenager could tell that her brother was smiling. "We're all a little nervous about the final fight, but if we stick together and train I'm sure that everything will turn out just fine." They both stopped once they had crossed the street, finding refuge on a sidewalk. "Now, what did you want to say?"

Laurie placed both of her hands on the green ninja's small shoulders. His blonde hair was blowing slightly in the light breeze. A half smile had crept its way across his and the red head gave a long sigh. She had to tell him now. Never again would Laurie get up enough courage to actually tell Lloyd what she wanted to tell him. "I'm not…" She bit her lower lip and closed her ice blue eyes tightly. "I'm not sure if you're going to be able to keep up with me when we start training." Every nerve inside of her body seemed to be frozen in ice. Laurie mentally kicked herself, watching as Lloyd laughed. She just could not bear to tell him the truth.

"You don't have to worry about me, sis," the young boy chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'd worry more about yourself." He smirked before turning on his heel. The dojo lay not too far away. "Just try and keep up!" Lloyd started running, his feet pounding against the concrete. Inhaling deeply, Laurie rushed after him, deep in thought. Why was she doing this to Lloyd? Would it really be better for him to not know her fate? For right now, the answer seemed to be "yes".

"I'm not going to let you win, Lloyd," the orange ninja stated plainly, pushing herself to run faster. The oddly shaped wooden sign that hung above the door of the dojo grew nearer with every step. Laurie could actually see the faded yellow and white paint that adorned it now. Her brother continued to have the lead in their little race. Another lump was beginning to rise in her throat. There was no possibility of her actually beating Lloyd to the door.

She had just lied, yet again.

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**More story progression in the next chapter, I think. Haven't written it yet, but I'm planning on it. Unfortunately, I wouldn't expect an update for this story for the next two weeks. Next week is the final week of classes and the time that I should promptly begin studying for finals. Finals week is the week after that. Don't get me wrong, I like to work on writing as little breaks here and there, but I don't think I'll get enough done for a chapter. Just, don't get your hopes up, okay?**

**Well, thank you for reading, reviewing, following, and all of that good stuff. Honestly, you don't know how much it means to me to actually have readers. Seriously. I'll see you on May 3rd. Have a great few weeks! :D**


	14. Practice Makes Perfect

**Hi there! It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, even though this break was kind of long, I did do extremely well on my final exams so there's that to be happy about. It was hard for me to get back into writing after the two weeks break, so I hope this chapter turned out okay.**

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Chapter Fourteen: Practice Makes Perfect

The sun was high in the sky, beating down astringently upon the orange ninja. Every pore on her body oozed perspiration and she ripped the mask from her face for a brief second, feeling the slightly cooler air on her sticky skin. A few strands of red hair had tumbled loose from her ponytail, sticking to the back of her neck. Both she and Lloyd had been training outside for about two hours now, virtually no progress being made. "Come on, try again!" the green ninja called out, his lightly narrowed eyes the only visible feature from behind his own mask. "You can't give up now, Laurie. Just try one more time!"

Breathing labored, the teenager quickly used the left sleeve of her gi to wipe sweat from her brow before replacing her mask. "I've been trying all day, Lloyd!" the girl yelled, obviously frustrated. The noon sun was unforgiving and Laurie had only managed to conjure up a weak breeze that had barely cooled Lloyd off in the heat. That had been a little over an hour ago. Frustration was building up inside of her. Here was this newly found ability of hers, the power to channel her element without a golden weapon, and she could not even manage to accomplish it on a whim. Maybe it was all just a fluke, just a parlor trick Laurie could perform on the occasion. Concentrating hard, she held her hands out in front of her, imagining a strong gust of wind pushing Lloyd backwards. Minutes passed as she stood there, attempting to make her vision a reality. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort happened.

"I'm done," the girl huffed, turning her back on her training partner and heading towards the door that led to the interior of the dojo. She could hear Lloyd protesting behind her, telling her that she just needed to keep trying. "It's not working and I'd like to take a break to just train with a weapon," Laurie shot back, pushing open the door that lay just ahead of her. Lloyd's hurried footsteps were quickly approaching, but Laurie did not look back.

The chilled, still air of Dareth's dojo was sweet relief. With one swift motion, the orange ninja removed her mask once more, tucking it into the dark orange sash tied around her waist. Everyone around Laurie was training as her footsteps made padded softly across a tatami mat. Both Jay and Cole were sparring with one another, their grunts of effort filling the room with each parry and dodge. On the opposite side of the room sat Zane, his eyes closed in concentration as he meditated. Nya was conversing with Kai as he took out his frustration on a lazily hanging punching bag. Glancing warily around as everyone carried on, Laurie made her way carefully towards the doorway that lead towards the back of the dojo.

"Laurie, wait!" Lloyd called out as he burst through the front door of the building. His slightly labored breathing caught everyone's attention. The orange ninja turned on her heel, facing her brother and blushing deeply as silence fell upon every individual. "You can't just give up, sis! You just need to train a little bit more! It'll take a little practice, but we can get it."

A small smile crept upon Laurie's lips and she approached Lloyd, placing a gentle hand on his right shoulder. "I'm not giving up, Lloyd," she sighed, feeling the slight anger and frustration that had been building up within her dissipate. Why was she getting upset over something like this anyways? Of course she would not be able to master this without practice. It was foolish of her to even think that she possibly could. "No, I'm not quitting. I had said I just wanted to get a weapon and take a short break." She ruffled his sweaty, blonde hair and turned back in the direction she had previously been walking in. "You should take a break too. You've been working really hard."

Lloyd gave an approving nod, turning towards Zane who had resumed his meditation. The small, green ninja sat down next to him, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. Laurie gave let a light chuckle escape her lips. Well, it was not the most effective way to "meditate", but perhaps her brother could use a little bit of a nap. "Now, I think Dareth keeps the spare weapons in the back." The orange ninja pushed her way through the flimsy beads that hung from the doorway that lead to the rest of the building, a few of the strands catching on the hair that had come loose from her ponytail. "Ow," Laurie complained lightly, detangling herself from the décor. The room around her was dimly lit, the few fluorescent bulbs on the ceiling flickering on and off. "Now, if I were a cabinet full of spare weapons, where would I be?"

There was the soft sound of movement off to Laurie's right and she tensed up, ice blue eyes darting over towards the corner of the room. Rhea was sitting on the floor, twirling the ends of her light blue hair around fingers and repositioning herself to sit on her knees. "You scared me," Laurie breathed, willing her rapidly beating heart to slow down. "Why are you back here by yourself anyways?" The young girl just shrugged her shoulders in response, her attention fixated on her own hair.

Sighing, Laurie moved more towards the center of the room where a wooden desk sat by its lonesome. A single piece of paper lay strewn across with messy handwriting scrawled on it. "'Went to lunch, be back soon. From, Grand Sensei Dareth,'" the teenager read out loud, pushing the paper across the surface of the polished wood. From the little she had seen of the dojo owner he seemed extremely unreliable. This was no exception. "I guess I'll just have to search until I find them," Laurie continued, crossing her arms over her chest. She heard Rhea shift once more in the corner and turned her gaze on the small girl. "Would you want to help me?" she asked tentatively.

Rhea nodded, getting to her feet and flipping her hair back over her shoulder. Her mind was wandering though, not necessarily on the task at hand, but on the limited time she now had to get rid of this teenage girl. The two moved through into another room that was pitch black. Rhea squinted her eyes as an overhead light sprung to life. It was much brighter in this room than the one adjacent to it. "Oh," she heard Laurie laugh, "I think this is what I've been looking for, right here!" It was a large, wooden cabinet that sat up against the wall on the opposite side of the room. The orange ninja approached it, throwing open the twin doors and quickly scurrying backwards as several different types of weapons fell forward, scattering across the floor. Well someone had been too lazy to properly stow the objects in a proper fashion.

"Hey, do you mind helping me pick this stuff up?" Laurie questioned, turning towards Rhea. The girl was gone though, nowhere to be found. "I'll just get it myself then," she muttered, bending over a moving several different types of swords out of the way, searching for a staff she could use to train with. There was something resembling a staff that Laurie quickly procured, but upon closer inspection she realized that it was just the end of a scythe. Sighing, she picked up the weapon and haphazardly shoved it back into the cabinet. One by one, the orange ninja picked up weapons that she did not know how to use and placed them back where they had come from. Several swords, a few scythes, nunchucks, and shurikens littered the interior of the cabinet. Feeling satisfied with her cleaning up, the girl turned back towards the floor.

A single staff lay near her right foot, next to a pair of oddly crafted daggers.

Curious, Laurie knelt on the ground next to the weapons. She had seen these before, but the proper name escaped her at this point in time. Cautiously, she picked one of them up by the handle. The main shaft of the weapon was much longer than the other two, which curved upwards slightly and appeared more symmetrical. The cabinet seemed to hold spare weapons for the ninja, judging by its lack of variety. If that was the case, than whom did these belong to? Laurie picked up the other weapon, holding them both in her hands. Perhaps Lloyd had tried training with them in the past and decided that they were not the weapon for him. Taking in a deep breath, the orange ninja stood and stowed the twin weapons back in the cabinet before closing the doors.

"Who's back here?" came a voice, startling Laurie. She dove for the staff on the ground, spun around on her knees and held one of the blunt ends of the weapon up against the throat of a scared looking man. Dareth held his hands up in defeat as Laurie let out a shaky breath. "You can take whatever you want! Let me just warn you though that my trophies are fake!" the dojo owner swallowed hard as Laurie lowered the weapon and stood up. Sudden realization came over the man and he laughed nervously. "Wait, you're not a burglar."

The slightest bit of irritation began to claw at the back of the orange ninja's mind. "No, I'm not a burglar," she stated plainly. "I just wanted to use a staff so I came back here to find one." Dareth just nodded, as if to say that it was fine to use the weapon, and turned to leave the room, flipping the lights off as he exited. Suddenly bathed in darkness, Laurie leaped forward, out of the room. "Hey, do you know who uses the sai's that are in the cabinet back there?" she found herself asking. Finally, she had remembered what they were called. It was honestly none of her business, but she was curious.

"Ah, some kid," Dareth replied, his back turned on Laurie. He took the note from his desk and crumpled it up into a tight ball before tossing it into a wire wastebasket. "He hasn't been around here in a while though, so I'm sure you could use them if you wanted to." Rhea stood up from the corner she had been favoring, startling the man who stumbled backwards into his desk, knocking a small trophy on to the floor. Laurie could hear the girl stifle a small laugh as she walked out to join the others in the larger room.

Some kid, huh? It was probably just an infrequent student who had moved away and left some weapons here. "No, I don't really know how to use them, but thanks for the offer," Laurie answered, watching as Dareth regained his composure and picked up the cheap, little trophy. She turned around, pushing the beads away once more, happy to make it through them without another struggle. Lloyd was up and moving, sparring with Kai who was easily blocking the young boy's attempts to knock him off of his feet. "Hey, Lloyd!" Laurie called out, smiling. "I'm ready to get back to it if you are." She held the bō staff in both hands now, holding it out in front of her.

The young boy took a step backwards, wiping the sweat from his brow before giving a deep nod. "Alright, let's go try it out with that now. Maybe you'll actually feel more confident in yourself now." Laurie raised an eyebrow as Lloyd gave Kai a departing wave and the two siblings made their way out of the front door and back out onto the hot street. Procuring his mask from his belt, the green ninja pulled it down over his face and smiled. "Now don't hold back or anything," Lloyd stated, clasping his gloved hands in front of him. "Neither of us are going to learn anything if we decide to go easy on each other." Already he could feel small beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Alright, let's go!"

Laurie had barely turned around after walking a few feet before Lloyd had advanced upon her. He threw a punch that hit square on her left arm and she sucked in a breath, bringing the staff around to knock his fist away. "Whoa, what are you doing?" she questioned, ducking as a sudden burst of energy shot over her head. The charge that still lingered caused the hair on the back of Laurie's neck to stand on end. Lloyd jumped into the air, bringing his foot down close to Laurie's head. She grunted, lifting the staff horizontally and catching her brother's foot. He pushed off, using the momentum to land in a crouch not too far away. "I'm not even ready yet!" the teenager complained, fumbling to pull her mask from the sash around her waist. Laurie pulled it down over her face quickly, feeling rushed and disheveled.

"An enemy isn't going to give you time to prepare in a real situation," Lloyd laughed, rushing forward once more. He kicked out at his sister's knee caps, but she jumped back quickly to his surprise. "Good, now stop defending yourself and try to attack me!" The green ninja put his palms together, building up an orb of energy. His emerald eyes locked onto Laurie as he prepared to unleash his attack, but she was running towards him now, planting the end of the staff on the ground and using it to jump over Lloyd's head. He turned around quickly, a smile playing at the edge of his lips, only to be greeted by a strong rush of air. It pushed him off of his feet and sent him skidding across the asphalt.

Breathing heavy, Laurie stared at her outstretched arm, the one she had somehow managed to conjure wind with. She had done it! She had actually managed to use her elemental abilities consciously and when she needed it. Grinning, the orange ninja gripped the staff with both hands now. Maybe Lloyd was right and she just needed to feel more confident in order to perform to her highest potential. She rested her gaze upon the small individual who was sitting up, dazed. "Oh my gosh," she breathed, dropping her weapon and running towards her brother.

Lloyd blinked as he managed to get into a sitting position. A shadow cast itself upon him and he looked up into the ice blue eyes of his sister. "Are you okay?" Laurie asked quickly, extending a gloved hand. "You're not hurt, are you? I didn't hurt you, right?" The green ninja accepted his sister's hand and got to his feet. Still slightly disoriented, he only nodded in response. Closing her eyes, Laurie took in a deep breath. At least Lloyd said he was okay. Then she was swept off of her own feet, feeling the pavement greet her back.

She opened her eyes to see Lloyd leaning over her. "Good job," the green ninja laughed, watching as Laurie sat up slowly. "You did it! See, I told you it would just take a little practice." The teenager got to her feet and looked around slowly before pulling her brother into a tight hug. "Maybe you should listen to me more often," Lloyd continued, feeling his self-confidence skyrocket.

"Maybe you shouldn't get so cocky," Laurie teased, breaking the embrace. She yanked the elastic from her red hair and hurriedly pulled it back into another sloppy ponytail. "This time I'm going to make sure you can't take advantage of me when I'm not paying attention." She walked back to the bō staff on the street and picked it back up. "Come on," she smiled. "Let's go again."

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**Okay, so I'm back now and you should expect another update next Friday. :3**

**Thanks for being patient and I hope you're still enjoying! :D**


	15. Wrong Destination

**Happy Friday! This chapter is a little odd. Completely switching points of view. Let's check up on some people we haven't seen in a ****_long_**** time.**

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Chapter Fifteen: Wrong Destination

A single, leather-bound book sat upon a wooden desk. The pages were yellowed with age, but the contents seemed to be well preserved, the ink barely faded. Garmadon sat down in front of it, pouring over every hand-written word that stared back at him. The deep, golden light from outside poured through the cabin windows, bathing every object it touched in warmth. Frowning, Lord Garmadon closed the book and placed it into a hidden compartment on the left of the desk. With a click, the book vanished from sight, a panel façade encasing the journal within. "The Dark Island," the black-skinned man scoffed, rising from his chair and gripping the edge of the desk tightly. "Captain Soto may have never found it, but I will."

Across the room, a map was tacked to the wooden wall. It depicted the entirety of Ninjago and some of the ocean surrounding it. Several minuscule land masses that sat off the coast of Ninjago had been circled with bright red ink. Of those marked, many of them had been crossed out just the same. Lord Garmadon approached the map, eyeing a particular object interest: a small island was next on his list. If the serpents currently navigating the Black Bounty were more competent, he believed they would have arrived at the planned destination already. The Dark Island had to be this last one; it was the only island that he had not checked. "Soon I will harness the power to remake Ninjago in my own image."

There was knocking on the heavy, oak door, barely audible over the rough waves of the ocean hurtling themselves against the hull. "Come in," Lord Garmadon announced, not moving from his current spot. The door opened inwards, smacking against a wall as the ship pitched slightly to the right. Pythor slithered in, his violet scales reflecting the light of the setting sun which cast his long shadow along the floor of the cabin. Garmadon recognized the odd gait of the individual currently standing behind him and turned around, crossing both sets of arms in the process. "What do you want?" the man inquired, narrowing his piercing red eyes.

A sly smile crossed the Anacondrai's face as he spoke. "Sir, the water ahead appears to be rough. Perhaps we should abandon the search for this fabled island and think more on how to get your children back to you." His words made Garmadon grimace deeper. The snake moved to stand next to the man, placing a single hand on his shoulder. "It's just that the crew is growing restless from our aimless wandering. I feel that if we plan another attempt at reclaiming your children…"

"Enough!" Lord Garmadon growled, roughly shaking the serpent's hand off of his shoulder. The vessel pitched slightly once more, sending an extremely shocked and disoriented Pythor stumbling back into one of the walls. Garmadon grabbed the Mega Weapon from where it had fallen to the floor before advancing upon the purple serpent. He held the end of the weapon to Pythor's throat, knowing that he could not do much harm. "_Your_ plans have all failed," the man spat, his anger beginning to overwhelm him. "We're not going to get my children right now. We're going to search for the Dark Island." His hopes were that whatever was hidden away on the Dark Island would make him strong enough to properly destroy the ninja and his brother; then, and only then, would he be able to get his children back without a problem. All Garmadon had to do was find the place first.

Pythor's forked tongue flicked out of his mouth as he pushed the Mega Weapon out of his face. Now was not the time to completely get on Garmadon's bad side. The serpent already knew he was slithering on eggshells around the man after the incident with Belinda. Garmadon had lost most, if not all, of his trust in Pythor. Pythor wanted nothing more than to throw the man overboard and be done with him, but that was not going to work in his favor. No, the Anacondrai knew better than that. His crimson eyes rested upon the golden weapon that Garmadon wielded. The best hope of defeating the ninja was within Pythor's grasp, yet only Garmadon had the power to use it. This was turning out to be quite the predicament. "Very well then," the serpent hissed, narrowing his gaze. "We'll continue to look for this island."

Suddenly, both individuals fell forward, the Mega Weapon dislodging from Garmadon's grasp and skidding across the floor. All movement of the Bounty stopped abruptly and a Venomari poked his head into the open door frame that led to the cabin. "Lord Garmadon," he started, sounding nervous. "It looks like we hit land and the front of the ship is beached now." He blinked his one good eye as a wave of anxiety over took him.

"Slithering idiots," Garmadon yelled, getting to his feet and grabbing the Mega Weapon. There was no way that they could have reached the intended destination this quickly. According to the set course, they would not have reached the island at least for another day or two. Garmadon took a quick glance at the map across the room. From what he could see there was no land mass in between the location they had previously left and their next destination. "Well don't just stand there," he continued, turning back towards the nervous snake in the doorway. "Get out there and try to get us back into the water!"

With that, the Venomari left the area to carry out Garmadon's orders. Pythor stood up, brushing himself off and locked eyes with the angry man. "Shall we go see what exactly the fuss is all about?" the serpent offered, gesturing towards the bridge.

Garmadon tightened his grip on his weapon and stepped past the Anacondrai. The sky above was a salmon color, painted with streaks of pale blue and violet as the sun threatened to dip lower on the horizon. Blinking against the harsh light, Garmadon directed his attention towards the land that his ship was currently caught on. It seemed to be both peaceful and remote. White sand stretched out as far as the eye could see, meeting the dark blue ocean and extending far up in to the jungle. Sparse palm trees jutted out on to the beach, teasing at the much larger cluster of vegetation that made up a majority of the island. "Why was this not on the map?" the man frowned, turning to see several Serpentine lowering themselves on to the land via the anchor.

"Perhaps this is the mysterious island you have been looking for," Pythor stated, making his way towards the railing of the vessel. He gazed down curiously as a group of Fangpyre and Hypnobrai feebly attempted to push the Black Bounty backwards, into the water. There was not a chance of them actually accomplishing the task set before them in this manner. They would figure it out eventually. "Would you care to go exploring?" the Anacondrai questioned, his tail flicking back and forth along the deck of the ship. "It may take some time for us to be on our way, unless you wanted to use that 'magic wand' of yours to help us get back into the water faster."

A deeply set frown etched itself onto Garmadon's face. "No, if I use the Mega Weapon it will drain all of my strength." Maybe that was just what Pythor wanted. Well he was not going to receive the satisfaction of having the upper hand. Exploring did seem like a decent enough idea though. "We can explore the island though," he continued, making his way towards the anchor. Slowly and carefully, he lowered himself to the ground and watched as Pythor followed him. The tree line along the beach seemed both inviting and foreboding, an odd sense of despair suddenly permeating the air on a slight breeze. "Well, after you," Garmadon smirked, gesturing for Pythor to lead the way. Then he turned his attention on the other Serpentine. "As for you, I expect this ship up and moving within the hour."

Leaving the scrambling serpents behind, Garmadon trekked forward, following closely behind Pythor. The two broke through the outer line of the towering palm trees, being encased in darkness quickly. Above them, the thick foliage and leaves created a canopy that seemed impenetrable to light. This was very disconcerting and looked much different than it had from the outside. It had almost appeared as if night had suddenly fallen, which could have been possible if Garmadon had not just previously seen the sun still hanging on in the sky. "I wonder why this island wasn't on the map," he wondered out loud, pushing aside a large patch of wild grass that was growing tall. It certainly was strange that this island existed, but could Pythor be right? Could this truly be the Dark Island?

A loud snap seemed to reverberate off the extremely palpable air. Despite his better judgment, Garmadon froze, watching as Pythor continued to slither on ahead as if he never heard the noise. There was the unmistakable and distinct chatter of someone in the immediate vicinity. Garmadon scanned the area, looking for any sign of another person around him. From what he could gather, he was absolutely alone with Pythor. He turned his gaze back to the path ahead where he saw the displaced dirt and sand from where the Anacondrai had dragged his long, winding tail. Frowning, he contemplated whether or not to follow the traitorous serpent deeper in to the forest.

The ear splitting cry of Pythor finally helped Lord Garmadon make his decision.

He turned on his heel, heading back towards the edge of the forest. Hurried footsteps were quickly approaching from behind, and the man picked up his pace. His breathing labored and uneven, Garmadon stopped for a brief moment in an attempt to get his bearings. Had he even come from this direction? He thought he had. Taking in a deep breath, Garmadon sprinted forwards once more, now more determined than ever to make it out of the forest. Something was definitely off about this place. Was it the Dark Island he had been searching for? At this point in time, he did not care. He just wanted to live to see another day.

The heavy footsteps behind him sounded even closer. Garmadon gripped the Mega Weapon tightly, consciously wondering if he should use it to try and halt whatever was currently chasing him. As much as that plant sounded fool proof, there was one downfall: he might now have the energy to escape once he stopped his assailant. While deep in thought, the man's foot caught on a lowly rock that stuck up out of the compacted dirt.

With a grunt of pain, Garmadon collapsed to the ground, the Mega Weapon wriggling out of his grip and falling into some nearby shrubbery. There was the unmistakable sound of blood pounding against his inner ear, blocking out all the other noises around him. From what he could tell, whatever had been behind him was no longer in pursuit. His focus heightened like a caged animal, the man got to his feet and quickly procured the Mega Weapon from within the confines of the teasing vegetation. The cold metal seemed to tingle slightly as he gripped it tightly once more, the slight light emanating from it dimmed.

As quickly as the whole ordeal started, Garmadon burst through the sparse tree line that sat upon the open beach. The group of Serpentine that he had threatened sometime prior was still pushing on the hull of the ship in hopes of dislodging it from the sand. There were others as well, in the command center from what he could see, seemingly getting the thrusters on the back of the ship up and running. They thundered to life, flames and hot air spewing outwards. A Constrictai turned the wheel, causing the thrusters to turn towards the front of the ship. Without much effort, the force was beginning to move the ship backwards, towards the ocean. Cheers erupted from the reptilian crew as Garmadon finally made it across the sprawling beach.

"Get aboard quickly," he instructed, grabbing on to the anchor as a lowly Hypnobrai began to raise it. "If you're not fast enough I will leave you behind." He barely recognized his own voice, seemingly terrified and breathless. The towering canopy of the forest was visible as he, and several other crew members, were slowly raised into the air. A flock of what appeared to be crows broke free of the tree tops, disappearing into the sky. Garmadon jumped from the prong of the anchor he stood on to the bridge. "All hands on deck," the man ordered, beginning to calm down now that he was safe on the Black Bounty. "We are leaving and continuing on to our intended destination."

The hustle and bustle of the Serpentine was both calming and reassuring. Every sail was successfully unfurled from the masts and the Constrictai at the wheel readjusted the thrusters. Slowly, the large vessel rose into the air and began moving forward. Any doubt that Garmadon had previously had about his survival was snuffed out as the island behind him began to grow smaller along the horizon. "Sir," interrupted a Fangpyre who was walking across the deck. "Where is Pythor?"

Rage was beginning to form and bubble in Garmadon's veins. "He is obviously not here, right?" he yelled, swinging the Mega Weapon at the serpent. Barely, the Fangpyre managed to avoid the intended attack and took a few steps backwards. "All hands on deck," Garmadon repeated more forcefully, his gaze narrowed. "We are heading towards our _intended_ destination. Don't mess it up again!" With that, the red snake nodded and headed towards the outer stairs that led up to the control room. Garmadon spotted several different serpents through the glass of the control, their heads bowed low and eyes focused solely on their captain. Despite everything that had just occurred, one good thing had come from it: Pythor was now gone. A wicked grin spread across the entirety of Lord Garmadon's face. Never again would he have to deal with that treacherous Anacondrai.

Now the only obstacles standing in his way were his brother and those pesky ninja.

* * *

The silhouette of the ship was barely discernible from the ever encroaching darkness of night. A long shadow cast itself upon the ground despite lacking a light source to actually form it. "Yes," the form chuckled, feeling a sudden surge of energy well up inside of it. "That was just what I needed." Turning back towards the center of the forest, the figure traveled forward. The golden staff that had fallen in front of him while he was shrouded in the vegetation had held such energy. There was no doubt that it held the same type of power as the Golden Weapons. The last time he had seen those had been when that foolish old man thought splitting the land in half would protect the light; out of sight, out of mind.

Unfortunately for Ninjago, he would not be out of sight for much longer.

He took in a deep breath, not feeling entirely satisfied as the air rushed through him. The encounter with the golden staff had been brief and he had only managed to take so much energy from it. He was stronger, that much was certain, but his form was still extremely weak, not even tangible. That was okay though, he did not need much energy to accomplish what should have been completed a little over a month ago. Besides, his vessel would be waiting for him back in Ninjago. That body was certainly tangible.

Another figure detached itself from the dark foliage. His stark white skin was striking against the dark backdrop of night. "Sir," General Kozu stated, taking a knee in front of the shadow. He crossed his twin butterfly swords across his chest, and bowed his head slightly. "The serpent has been taken care of, but there was one other who managed to get away. I managed to lose him in the forest as he tried to escape." The lack of light made it difficult to see, but the shadowy figure clearly noticed the dark crimson smears of blood across both of the blades in Kozu's possession. "My apologies."

"No need to apologize," the shadow laughed, the sound raspy and hoarse. "He had something that I managed to take advantage of." Still slightly overwhelmed by the sheer luck of this traveler finding his island, the shadow gestured for General Kozu to rise. "I feel stronger than I have in quite some time. Perhaps it's time to pay Ninjago a little visit for old time's sake."

A wide grin spread across the stone general's face, hidden by the intricate helmet that adorned his head. "As you wish, sir," he answered getting to his feet and sheathing both of his swords, ignoring the blood that was now dried on to the blades. The unexpected visit from that vessel had been quite the shock, though it had turned out for the better. Ninjago City awaited them, a shining beacon in the land of light. However, General Kozu was not all that interested in the task that his master was so intent on. This supposed girl who would selflessly give her life up to ensure their defeat seemed trivial.

No, he was more interested in the blue-haired pipsqueak who was in for quite the shock when he showed up in town to destroy her once and for all.

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**Yeah. See you next Friday. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and sticking with me. :3**


	16. Heading to the Ball

**Hey, how's it going? It's Friday so here's another chapter.**

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Chapter Sixteen: Heading to the Ball

Laurie flung herself on to her bed, feeling the comforter depress from the weight of her body. She was utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep at this point in time. Unfortunately for her, there were other plans stirring about. Eyes focused on the dreary ceiling, the orange ninja exhaled deeply. "So what is this thing Nya wants us to go to?" she asked wearily, removing the mask that adorned her face and tossing it towards the end of the bed.

"This _thing_ is a ball," Nya chimed in from the other side of the room. Laurie closed her eyes, hoping to try and fall asleep quickly before more of an explanation was given. This, however, did not work. The samurai had already taken a seat at the foot of Laurie's bed. Reluctantly, the red head opened her eyes once more, preparing to hear what Nya had to say. "It's the nineteenth annual Ninjago City Ball. It's open to anyone and I thought it would be neat if we all went, don't you think?"

A ball? That reminded Laurie of fairy tales, princesses, and dancing. Fairy tales were something that she enjoyed, but the latter two were a completely different story. There was no possible way that Laurie would ever be caught dancing. She felt too awkward and clumsy to ever engage in such an activity. No, dancing was definitely out of the question. "It sounds to me like you're really interested in this," the orange ninja sighed, getting into a sitting position. Her muscles pulled and ached slightly from the day's training, but at least she was now able to better control her elemental abilities. "Why don't you go with the others and tell me how it goes?"

Nya gave a sly smile, her chocolate brown eyes narrowing slightly. "Why don't you come along and find out 'how it goes' for yourself?" she challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.

Laurie swallowed hard, realizing that the ball was back in her court. "Um…" she started incoherently, racking her brain for a legitimate excuse to avoid attending the event. Suddenly, a thought floated through her conscious mind. "I can't go anyways, Nya," the orange ninja sighed, attempting to sound severely disappointed. "Balls generally require certain formal wear that I don't have. I don't know if you've looked at my wardrobe, but there aren't any dresses in there. It looks like I'm just going to have to stay right here." Checkmate.

"That's too bad," Nya pouted, her face falling at this news. She stood abruptly and walked away from Laurie. The orange ninja felt slightly guilty for squirming her way out of the ball, but she just did not feel comfortable being in such an upscale environment; especially if Kai would be there too. "Wait a second though," the samurai laughed, advancing upon Laurie with a large bag in her right hand. "What do I have here?" The large smile returned to her face.

Oh no. "That's not…" but Laurie trailed off as Nya nodded her head quickly. "You've known about this thing tonight for a long time, haven't you?" Yet another nod from the smirking samurai confirmed Laurie's suspicions. This had all been planned. There was no doubt in her mind of what lay within the bag. It was the red dress that Nya had insisted on paying for from the boutique. Kai's sister had set Laurie up and the orange ninja felt herself turn a bright shade of red. "You're really sneaky, do you know that?" Laurie smiled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wouldn't call it 'sneaky'," Nya stated, passing the bag over to Laurie who reluctantly took it. "No, I would say it's more like 'being resourceful'". Laurie's expression seemed to say that she thought otherwise, but Nya would not hear of it. "Now, why don't you go change and then we'll talk about shoes and hair afterwards."

Laurie took a glance over towards the guys who were sitting around the dining room table. Apparently they had been getting ready for the evening's event while she griped and grumbled on about it. Cole was standing, leaning against the back of one of the chairs, dressed sharply in a black tuxedo with a black bow tie around his neck. The Ninja of Earth was conversing with Zane who wore a pale silver long sleeved polo shirt with a white pinstriped vest over top of it. Jay was dressed in a lustrous blue collared shirt with a black jacket slung over one of his shoulders, laughing as Kai struggled to properly tie a tie. "Go along and get ready," Nya laughed, bringing Laurie back to reality. With a quick nod, the orange ninja made her way to the bathroom to change.

"I don't want to go," chimed in a voice. The samurai turned her head to see Lloyd, sitting on his bed in his gi, back against the wall. "I remember hearing you talking about us being honorary guests for saving the city from the Great Devourer, but I didn't help save the city so I don't wanna go." His face was set in a small frown, his blonde hair ruffled. Nya opened her mouth to say something, but Lloyd continued to speak instead. "I didn't help, Nya. The others helped and my dad actually killed the thing, but _I _didn't have a part in that. I don't want to be honored from something that I didn't do."

Nya gave a sad smile and sat down on the bed next to Lloyd. "You know, pint-size, your sister wasn't there when we fought the Great Devourer, but she's still going." Her eyes drifted to meet the young boy's and she could see hesitation and sadness gleaming in his irises. "The mayor wanted the entire team there to be honored and she's part of the team now." Lloyd's expression changed and he seemed more hurt than anything else by her words. "I feel like there's another reason why you don't want to go, Lloyd. What's up?"

He sighed, closing his emerald eyes for a brief moment to collect himself. How long had it been since it had happened, the single event that had changed everything? Then his sister had shown up shortly afterwards, both happy and confused. "The whole team _wouldn't _be there though," Lloyd stated, shifting uncomfortably. "There would still be one person missing." Taking in a deep breath, the young boy felt Nya place a reassuring hand on his right shoulder. "There's also the fact that Rhea won't be able to go either." He watched as the quiet girl walked silently around the room, taking quick glances as everyone laughed and prepared. "Besides, I wouldn't want to risk her hurting Laurie if we brought her along anyways," he finished, lowering his voice slightly.

"Whisper, whisper," the orange ninja teased, walking past Lloyd and sitting on the other side of him, slinging a bare arm over his shoulders, "what's so secretive?" She gave a small smile, trying to pull down her dress as it puffed out around her knees. Lloyd watched as a single strand of her red hair fell down in the middle of her face and she defiantly tucked it behind her left ear with her free hand. Laurie's face turned red as Lloyd continued to stare. Her face blushed red and she looked away, inhaling slowly. "Don't look at me like that, Lloyd," the orange ninja said, clearing her throat. "I already feel awkward enough as it is."

The green ninja laughed, shrugging his sister's arm off of his shoulders. "Sorry, sis, I've just never seen you look so much like a girl before." He received a soft punch to the arm as Laurie stood up and made her way back over to her bed, taking a seat and sticking her tongue out slightly. "Oh, don't get all angry about it," the boy continued, watching as Nya now left his side, making her way towards Kai who was still struggling to tie his tie. "I need to tease you as much as I can. I mean, we have a lot of years to make up for."

Laurie gave her brother a grin. "Yeah, we _do_ have a few years to make up, don't we?" she answered, placing both of her hands slightly behind her on the comforter. Something cold slid over the top of her hand and Laurie jumped suddenly, ice blue eyes scanning the orange bedspread for what had just touched her. It was a delicate, silver chain. The links were small and thin, barely reflecting the light in the room. Carefully, Laurie picked it up. There was a small note tied around the bottom of the chain, where a pendant sat. Taking a quick glance at her brother, the girl untied the note from the chain and began to read it.

_"To Laurie: I'm sorry I've been distant lately. I wanted to give you this as an apology. Hopefully things will get better. From, Kai." _Laurie felt her heart skip a beat as she finished reading the note and placed it beside her. Carefully, she lifted what she now recognized as a necklace and laid the pendant down on her palm. It was circular in shape, covering only the middle of her palm. In the middle sat a dark purple gem, the centerpiece of the jewelry. As Laurie tilted her hand slightly, the purple color seemed to turn black. Surrounding the odd colored gemstone were small, orange colored minerals. "Hey, Lloyd, come look at this," Laurie whispered excitedly, gesturing for her brother to come over.

Lloyd slid off of his bed and approached his sister. She was holding something in her hand and he looked at it with narrowed eyes. It was obviously a necklace, the dark gem in the middle immediately catching his attention. "First dresses and now jewelry? What are you going to do next, juggle?" he chuckled, watching as Laurie closed her hand around the pendant, pulling it away from him and beginning to clasp it around her neck. "Oh lighten up, sis, I'm still joking. Where'd you get that?"

"It was a present from Kai," she replied, feeling the clasp on the necklace close. Laurie released her hold on the chain and felt the round pendant settle on the skin above her chest. The metal was cold at first, but Laurie quickly became used to it. She stood up from the bed, noticing Rhea looking at her. "Did you want to see it too?" the orange ninja asked, but Rhea just shook her head and went back to doodling in her notebook. It was nice of Kai to do this. Laurie had always felt a little uncomfortable around him, feeling as if she was not wanted. Now she realized that he really wanted to try and reconcile what had apparently been lost between them. If he was willing to take a step, so was she. Swallowing hard, Laurie made her way over to the dining room table.

Kai rolled his eyes as Nya finally finished fixing his tie. "Thanks, sis," he huffed, turning now to mess with the buttons that traveled all the way down his shirt. "We're not going to be there too long, right?" the red ninja asked, abruptly standing while looking down at his shirt. "I mean, how long is this thing going to last?" He bumped right into someone that was standing there. Before Kai could apologize, he looked up, his eyes meeting Laurie's. He watched as the girl took a step back, her eyes wide and cheeks red. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head, sections of her wavy hair cascading down. A few strands hung around her face, framing it. The dress she wore was almost the same color as her hair and Kai looked down at the shirt he was wearing: the hue virtually identical. "I didn't mean to bump into you," the Ninja of Fire finally managed to say, feeling a lump rise in his throat.

"No, it's okay," Laurie replied quickly, clasping her hands behind her back awkwardly. "I-I shouldn't have been standing that close to you. It's my fault really." She looked at the boy in front of her. His spiky, brown hair was casting faint shadows across his face. A black tie draped its way down the front of his long sleeved, red collared shirt. His face seemed to be a light shade of red and he cleared his throat. "Really, I'm sorry for getting in your way," Laurie finished up.

He did not know what to say. Kai could feel his cheeks blushing and he attempted to find something to talk about. "N-nice necklace," he smiled, noticing the piece of jewelry suddenly. "Where'd you get it?"

The orange ninja gave a small grin, almost laughing at Kai's question. "Oh, this? I just found it lying around," Laurie shrugged, trying to play along with Kai's joke. She noticed Nya and Jay staring at her, the blue ninja giving her a not so subtle wink. Now feeling that she appeared as red as a tomato, the teenager turned away from Kai and rested her gaze on Lloyd. "Hey, come on, Lloyd. Get ready so we can go," she said suddenly, trying to calm down her nerves.

"He doesn't want to go," Nya answered, chiming in from behind. All eyes were on the samurai now. "Lloyd told me he would rather stay here with Rhea while we were out. He doesn't want to leave her by herself and he just doesn't feel right knowing that not everyone could be there." Laurie bit her bottom lip lightly at this news. She did not like the thought of leaving Lloyd alone with Rhea, but the girl had done nothing to harm Lloyd. No, Rhea had only helped him.

Laurie turned to face her younger brother who just smiled at her. He had grown up so much in the little time she had spent with the ninja. Growing more confident in himself and the decisions he made. "Okay then, but lock the front door when we leave and _be careful_, alright?" she stated sternly. "Uncle will be back in about an hour so just stay put until then, got it?" Lloyd held his right hand up as if taking an oath and Laurie just laughed. "Alright, I guess we can go then. We'll be back as soon as we can, so we'll see you later." The group waved goodbye as they disappeared through the door. It shut tightly behind them, followed by the audible sound of the lock clicking.

"Well, it's just us now, Rhea," the green ninja sighed, falling backwards on to his sister's bed. "What should we do?"

* * *

His fingers were getting sore from mashing the buttons on the controller in front of him. "How are you so good at this if you've never played video games before?" Lloyd questioned, his grip on his controller tightening even more. On the television screen in front of him, the green ninja watched as his character took yet another blow from Rhea's character. Once more he pushed down the button that was used to block attacks, only to watch Rhea move the joystick, backing her character across the screen. She leapt forward, landing a hard kick to Lloyd's chest just as he readjusted his positioning. The large, taunting letters that spelled out "knock out" adorned the screen as Lloyd placed the controller on the floor in front of him. "Are you sure you've never played Fist to Face 2 before?"

Rhea shook her head back and forth, a smile playing on the edge of her lips. This was actually fun, something different than anything she had ever done before. She tried to remember the last time she had felt so happy, so carefree. Taking in a deep breath, she dug the notepad and pen out of her pocket and wrote across it. _Want to lose again?_

"Oh no," Lloyd smirked, standing up and leaning backwards to stretch from being hunched over in concentration for a long period of time. "If anyone is going to lose this time, it's going to be you." His gaze fell upon the digital clock on the stove in the kitchen. Was it that late already? The others had been gone for over an hour and a half now, yet Uncle had not come back from the dojo. "I'm sure Sensei is going to be back soon," the boy spoke out loud, turning back towards the girl on the floor. "Hey, are you hungry or something? I can go grab some snacks from the kitchen if you want me to."

After giving it a quick thought, Rhea nodded and watched as Lloyd made his way over to the cabinets in the kitchen. Some of them were just a little out of his reach and he shimmied on to one of the counters in order to reach it. He was grabbing a couple of plastic bags, no doubt full of junk food, but Rhea did not care. She was too preoccupied by how happy she actually felt right now. This was the type of stuff she was supposed to be doing at her age: hanging out with a friend and just having a fun time.

Unfortunately, she was quickly reminded that her life was anything but ordinary.

Lloyd heard the distinct sound of breaking glass as he pulled a few bags of potato chips from the cabinet. This was followed by Rhea gasping. What was going on? He tensed up, feeling ready for a fight as he dropped the snacks on to the counter and whirled around. Before he could even attempt to land one punch on the enemy that had decided to intrude, he was shoved backwards hard. Lloyd's head hit one of the lower cabinets as he fell and was plunged into darkness.

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**Well I couldn't very well let you sit through that boring chapter and not have something to look forward to. That wouldn't be very fair.**

**Thank you for reading, reviewing, and everything. You guys are really great! See you next Friday! :D**


	17. Night to Remember

**Happy Friday! I'm back and I apologize again for the unexpected break last week. My wrist feels absolutely fine now so I don't even know what happened.**

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Chapter Seventeen: Night to Remember

The applause was utterly deafening as Laurie stared out into the crowd that was much larger than she had originally anticipated. Apparently more people went out to events of this nature than the orange ninja thought. She stared blankly at the ocean of individuals that looked like nothing more than a large ink blot smeared across a pad of paper. They appeared as a large, black mass that stretched on endlessly and Laurie wanted nothing more than to shield her eyes against the bright, harsh lights that shone down upon her. Quickly, she sneaked a glance to her right, noticing the others waving and smiling as the mayor spoke. The orange ninja could not understand what he was saying though, only that muffled words were flowing from his mouth like a perpetual river.

Another eruption of applause overwhelmed Laurie and she felt like shrinking away from the attention. Why was she even up here anyways? Nya had said something about "the Great Devourer", but she had not been with them when they fought it. Awkwardly, the orange ninja gingerly raised her right hand and gave a small wave. Some of the individuals nearest her clapped loudly and Laurie returned her hand to her side, pulling down on the bottom of her dress nervously. She really should not be up here right now. The audience cheered once more and there was a hand on Laurie's shoulder, pushing her slightly. With wide eyes, the girl turned to see Jay, nudging her to start moving. Happy to oblige, the teenager started moving across the stage, taking the stairs along the side one step at a time.

The bottom of her black flats hit the ground and a wave of relief overwhelmed her. All of the guests in attendance at the event did not seem as intimidating now, the incessant chatter from the collective group seeming insignificant. "I'm so glad that's over," she sighed, turning to see Jay chuckling softly. "What are you laughing at? I felt like I was going to be sick and wouldn't it have been a shame if I just threw up all over _you_?" The Ninja of Lightning stopped, his face falling slightly. "Now that's what I thought," Laurie grinned.

"No one is going to be sick on anyone," Nya stated, taking Jay's hand in hers. The samurai whisked him away, the two disappearing into the massive crowd. Bodies were swaying in every direction and the orange ninja looked up, her eyes falling on the dozens of chandeliers that blanketed the ceiling, casting a soft glow over the event. Everything here just seemed way too fancy and overwhelming. The biggest "party" she had ever been to was held a few years back, when her mother was giving a small lecture on Ninjago folklore and the newly discovered evidence that seemed to back some of it up. Hundreds of people came to listen to her mother speak about islands, scrolls, mirrors, and what not. Laurie could not remember any specifics; just that she had been sitting in the back, trying to fall asleep.

"Um…you wouldn't want to dance, would you?" came a voice, bringing Laurie out of the past. She blinked rapidly, her eyes falling on Kai. He looked indifferent to everything happening around him, spiky brown hair shadowing his features. "I mean, if you want to that is."

Dance? Honestly, that was the _last_ thing Laurie wanted to do. She took a glance down at the necklace resting against the bare skin above her chest. Kai was trying to mend the relationship that she had so selfishly shattered. _You exchanged all of your memories of Kai for your own well being._ Belinda's words came back to haunt her, sending a shiver down her spine. _She_ had done this to themselves, to Kai. The least Laurie could do was dance with him. "Okay, but I have to warn you that I have two left feet," she answered, feeling some of the color drain from her face.

The Ninja of Fire gave a small smile, extending his right hand. Slowly, Laurie took it, the two walking into the crowd. Some individuals parted, making room for the two ninja. Suddenly, Kai stopped and Laurie nearly bumped into him, not paying attention to her immediate surroundings. "You're right," the red ninja laughed lightly, "you _do_ have two left feet." Laurie blushed and felt Kai place a hand on her waist before she tensed up. "If you don't want to do this that's fine," Kai said, his words sounding rushed. "I-I mean I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything." His heart was pounding against his chest.

"No, it's fine," Laurie answered quickly, placing her right hand on Kai's shoulder. "I just don't really know how to dance and I'm really clumsy. The last thing I want to do is embarrass you in front of all of these people." The words spilled from her mouth, truthful and vulnerable. She frowned slightly, wanting to crawl in to a hole and vanish. When was the last time she had really had a conversation with Kai? She could not remember. Now here they were at a dance, actually dancing. Laurie looked down at her feet and carefully placed them to avoid stepping on Kai. "You look nice tonight," she said, instantly regretting it. The skin on her face blazed with embarrassment.

Kai's hand grabbed Laurie's free one and he spun her around quickly. Pieces of her hair flung around, falling in front of her face as she stopped. "You look nice too," he replied, gazing into the girl's ice blue eyes. They seemed unwilling to focus on him and the red ninja tightened his grip on Laurie's hard reassuringly. "And, for the record, you couldn't embarrass me." This caught her attention and she locked eyes with Kai, the two leaning forward slowly. _You did this to him; you did this to yourself._ Belinda's words rang through Laurie's ears yet again and she pulled away, taking a few steps away from Kai.

"I-I'm really thirsty," she awkwardly announced, clasping her hands behind her back. Kai eyed her and gave a small shrug, turning to head in the direction of the refreshments. "No, you don't have to go! I'll go get it myself." With that, the girl began zigzagging her way through the large crowd, muttering several apologies as she bumped into people. The red ninja stood alone, watching as Laurie was swallowed up by the residents of Ninjago. His heart rate slowed and his stomach dropped. It had been wrong of him to think that something like a dance could completely fix Laurie's memories. He did not want to push her.

"What are you doing alone now?" Cole stood with his arms crossed over his chest, eyeing Kai. "Wasn't Laurie just with you?" The Ninja of Earth watched as his friend turned around and nodded slowly. Frowning, Cole brushed his black bangs out of his face and placed a strong hand on Kai's shoulder. "Hey, what's going on?"

What was going on? Absolutely nothing was 'going on'. Nothing had been 'going on' for quite some time now and he had been foolish to believe that a single night could change all that. "Laurie was thirsty and she went to go get a drink," the red ninja replied, gently shrugging Cole's hand off of his shoulder. He turned to look at his brother who just narrowed his dark amber eyes. Kai sighed, knowing that Cole could see right through him. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately," the brunet confessed, running a hand through his spiky hair and instantly regretting it. He could feel the sticky residue of gel now on his bare hand.

Cole gave a small smile, satisfied that Kai was talking honestly with him. He gestured for his friend to continue. Now Kai was thinking that it was not the best idea to start talking. For the past few weeks he had been keeping mostly to himself and ever since Sensei Wu had divulged the rest of Laurie's fate he was feeling even worse. Having someone who was asking what was wrong though was refreshing and Kai quickly found the words just pouring from his mouth. "I still love her, Cole. I've never stopped and it's just been difficult, okay? All I've been thinking about is how to help her remember us and now I'm not sure if that's even the best idea".

"What do you mean by that?" the black ninja asked, absentmindedly adjusting the bow tie that sat crooked around his neck. This was not news to him. It had been blatantly obvious to everyone that Kai still loved Laurie. Well for everyone except Laurie. The only bit of information that kind of took Cole off guard was that last bit. If Kai had spent so long trying to think of a way to help the orange ninja, why would he suddenly decide against it? It was not like his brother at all to just give up on something. No, Kai was too stubborn.

He hesitated slightly before he answered, debating on whether to continue or not. It felt nice though, getting everything off of his chest. What was the harm in continuing? "She already seems pretty happy with things the way they are now," the Ninja of Fire answered, rubbing his temples. "I don't want to swoop in and stir things up before…before…" Kai now faltered, feeling a wave of stress and anxiety crash over him. "Before she dies," he finally finished, loosening his tie with these words. "It wouldn't be fair to Laurie if I rekindled something just before she went away. I would rather be the only one burdened in the situation and I feel like everything is going to happen soon or else Sensei wouldn't have told us about it."

The expression on Cole's face shifted from one of understanding to one of unease. Kai could not place a reason for the change and he started to become flustered. "Don't tell me you haven't been thinking the same thing, Cole. All of these weird stone things popping up in Ninjago and Sensei telling all of us about the rest of the prophecy? It's all going to happen soon: Lloyd is going to defeat Lord Garmadon and, unfortunately, Laurie is going to die! I don't want to be too close to her when that happens." Cole opened his mouth to say something, but seemed silenced, only jerking his head slightly in Kai's direction.

"So…tell me what you really think." Kai's light brown eyes widened as he turned to see Laurie standing behind him. Her face was bright red and streaked with tears, the cup of red punch in her hand shaking slightly. He wanted to say something, try to explain himself, but he was positive that she did not want to hear anything he had to say right now. Kai's lack of words sent Laurie into an emotional tailspin. "Oh, are you finished then?" she asked, the anger in her voice barely masked by the silent tears that continued to slip down her freckled face. "I'm glad to finally hear what you've been thinking recently. I mean who wants to be with the 'dead girl' anyways, right?"

Kai watched as Laurie roughly pushed the cup of punch towards him. He grabbed on to it, flabbergasted, as the orange ninja quickly made her way towards the building's exit. "Laurie, wait!" he called out, snapping out of his daze and following her. She moved quicker, attempting to leave Kai behind, but he was determined to talk to her and set things straight. Leaning forward and extending his arm, the red ninja managed to catch Laurie around her wrist. "Can you just wait a second? You obviously didn't hear everything I had to say!"

Laurie pulled against him, but felt his unyielding grip. Reluctantly, the red head turned around to face Kai, her eyes narrowed. "I think I've heard plenty," she countered, tugging away from the red ninja once more. He let her go and without a moment's hesitation, Laurie turned away and ran towards the door. As she made her way through the crowd she felt as if she was in a fog, not even acknowledging the people she shoved past to get away. Ever since Nya had brought up this event, Laurie knew it was a bad idea. She just did not know how bad everything was going to be.

She pushed open a large, glass door which was the main entrance to the community center. The cool night air felt heavenly against her skin. Wiping away a few rogue tears that had suddenly fallen down her cheeks, the orange ninja turned in the direction of the apartment and began walking. Laurie half expected Kai to continue his pursuit, but, to her pleasant surprise, she could not hear him trailing behind her. Everything around her was quiet and still, allowing her to think and cool down. If Kai had been feeling like this than why had he not talked with her about it? Laurie sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. Even if Kai _had _decided to talk with her she would not have wanted to hear it.

The walk back home was quiet and uneventful as the teenager attempted to compose herself. Lloyd was still unaware of the details concerning her fate and she still did not want to worry him. Of course, this would be the perfect opportunity to bring it up with him. She would probably want someone to talk to anyways. Laurie would even take Rhea at this point in time. Just having someone that would listen to her would be nice. Settling on the scenario of telling Lloyd everything just seemed like the best option right now. She tried the doorknob to the apartment and found it locked. Remembering that she had locked it herself, Laurie lifted up the mat outside of the door and found the spare key. With a quick turn in the lock, Laurie opened the door and stepped into an empty home.

All of the lights were still on and Laurie felt a sense of unease overwhelm her. "Hello?" she called out, closing the door behind her and walking further into the apartment. The small television that Lloyd would set up in the corner of the room was still on, the menu screen for Fist to Face 2 flickering and two controllers on the ground. A soft breeze whipped around the few strands of red hair that fell down along Laurie's face. She stepped towards the window, suddenly noticing the broken blinds on the floor. Glass crunched underneath of her shoes and the orange ninja backed away, feeling her heart drop.

Something terrible had happened.

"Uncle, are you here?" Laurie asked, raising her voice. Just as she expected, silence answered her. "Oh no," she muttered to herself, finally realizing the magnitude of the situation. Lloyd was gone. Rhea was gone. Her Uncle was nowhere to be found and _something_ had broken into the apartment. At first Laurie had thought that it was Rhea that had broken the glass, perhaps in an escape attempt, but the glass was inside the room. So it had to have been broken from outside. Now she was back on the fact that Lloyd was gone and she had no clue where he could be.

A slight rustling sound skittered across the room and Laurie looked over towards her bed to see a small piece of notebook paper plastered against one of the legs. Cautiously, she stepped around the broken glass and crouched down, procuring the paper. "We have the boy and girl. Come alone to the abandoned warehouse on the edge of town or your brother will die," she read out loud, slowly deciphering the sloppy handwriting. The note was small, obviously on paper ripped from Rhea's notebook, but the handwriting was not the girl's. "_We_ have the boy and girl," Laurie repeated, balling the note up into a ball and haphazardly tossing it across the room. There was only one group of individuals that would possibly want Lloyd: the Serpentine.

What did they expect her to do, surrender? No, she was not just going to give herself up. That was exactly what they wanted and Laurie refused to give any of those darn snakes satisfaction. The floor passed by quickly as the orange ninja paced in front of her bed. She was wasting time. Suddenly, Laurie thought of something. What if she could let the Serpentine _think_ she was surrendering? She had much more control over her element than she had previously. If Laurie showed up without a weapon and then caught the serpents off guard, she could be home free with both Lloyd and Rhea in tow. Alright, she had a plan now, but where did she need to go again?

Flustered with the lack of attention she had given the rendezvous location, Laurie scanned the floor for the piece of paper. It stayed out of sight and the orange ninja let a loud sigh escape her lips. Stepping far away from the glass, Laurie was now on her knees, looking to see if the note had rolled somewhere. Her knees were aching from the pressure of being on the hard wood floor, but Laurie finally found what she was looking for. The note had rolled its way underneath Lloyd's bed. Getting down on her stomach, Laurie pushed away the puffing skirt that was attached to her dress and felt relieved that she was currently the only one in the apartment. The white note stuck out from the dark shadows cast by Lloyd's mattress and bed frame. She stretched her arm out to get it, but her hand hit something else that she had not previously seen. Curious, the orange ninja pulled out the object she had come into contact with.

It was a box, green in color with a lid firmly stuck on to the top. The darker color allowed it to blend in better with the shadows and Laurie had not seen it when she had initially glanced underneath Lloyd's bed. She did not want to invade her brother's privacy, but Laurie felt that if she kept a diary, or anything else along those lines, Lloyd would be combing her part of the room for it. That was what siblings did, right? They sort of got into each other's business. Laurie removed the lid from the box and reached inside.

She grabbed a silver pocket watch, seemingly brand new. Why would Lloyd have a pocket watch? Laurie flipped it over to the back, seeing an engraving. "Time is forever, but youth is short," she practically whispered, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Happy Twelfth Birthday, Lloyd." So this was a birthday present! That explained why it was still in such good shape. It had been given to Lloyd not too long ago. As Laurie went to place the item back inside the box, her index finger caught on the small, notched button that stuck out from the top; it pushed down, opening the pocket watch.

The watch itself ticked on, the small sound quickly filling the otherwise empty room. On the inside of the portion that covered the clock face was a photo. Laurie readjusted the watch in her hand, angling the photo more towards the light. She saw a boy, maybe around her own age, sitting underneath a tree with Lloyd in his lap. His brown hair was contrasted greatly against Lloyd's blonde hair and he wore a grey tee shirt. Well whoever this was he must have been the one who gave this watch to Lloyd. Closing the watch, Laurie placed it back inside of the box, replaced the lid and slid it back underneath Lloyd's bed before grabbing the note.

Carefully, she smoothed out the crumpled ball and finally committed the location to memory. An abandoned warehouse on the edge of town? The only place Laurie could think of that would have such a place would be near Twenty-First and Union. She had heard that no one ever went over in that direction. It sounded like the perfect place for some snakes to hide out.

Feeling unusually prepared and satisfied with her plan, Laurie streamed out of the apartment door and into the night.

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**Well I hope everything still feels like it's going smoothly. It's going to get more exciting (I hope) in the next chapter.**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, and staying with me even when weird things like a wrist injury pop up!**


	18. To the Rescue

**Happy Friday! I was up ****_really_**** late last night writing this chapter because I continued to erase paragraphs and write new ones, erase those ones and write new ones. No one likes a late night, but I did enjoy writing this chapter more and more as the night went on. Of course, that could have been from lack of sleep. Please enjoy. :)**

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Chapter Eighteen: To the Rescue

It is a widely known stereotype that women are fairly good with directions. In addition to this, when a woman is unsure of where she is going, she generally stops and asks directions. Unfortunately, Laurie fit neither of these stereotypes. A strong wind whipped down the street that the orange ninja was currently traversing, ruffling the skirt of her dress around wildly. Sighing, Laurie pulled down on the dress, worried that it would flip up in the gusts. Why had she not changed back in the apartment while she had the chance? Laurie shook her head, causing more strands of hair to tumble loose from her up-do. Wearing a dress was the least of her worries right now. Two kids were in trouble.

Sticking to the street lights that lined the pavement, the orange ninja quickly made her way through Ninjago City, pausing only a moment or two to get her bearings before continuing. While she had never actually been to Twenty-First and Union, Laurie was fairly certain she knew where it was. When there was only a little bit of Ninjago City that you had not explored, it was safe to assume that a place you had not visited before was located there. A light bulb in the fixture above her flickered and Laurie leapt forward, away from the sudden onset of darkness. Breathing slightly more labored now, Laurie took the next right turn up ahead.

Another strong gust of wind pushed against her, this time from the front. "Are you trying to tell me something?" she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. The wind never seemed to act like this for no apparent reason. Waiting for an answer was stressful as the seconds slowly turned into minutes. Nothing, but the sound of the occasional car engine answered her. Rubbing her temples, the girl carried on, her flats pounding hard against the concrete sidewalk. She was not sure what time it was, but Laurie felt as if there should be more people out at this time of night. It could not be too late, right?

"Abandoned warehouse," Laurie whispered under her breath, feeling more anxious with every step. "Get to the warehouse, get Lloyd and Rhea, and get out." Her own voice was shaking slightly, making Laurie feel even more nervous. "You can do this," the orange ninja continued, stopping for a second to gather her surrounds. "Get in, get out, easy stuff." Confidence was definitely the key. If she thought that everything was going to fall apart, then it would. Laurie just needed to focus and try to keep herself on track.

The sudden whistling of the wind caught her attention, drifting down an alleyway on her left. "Why don't you just tell me whatever it is you're trying to tell me?" Laurie huffed, anger steadily rising. "I know you can talk with me, you've done it before." Something just felt off about the entire situation and Laurie, ignoring the gusts that seemed to mean nothing, continued down the path she had originally chosen.

Metal scraping against asphalt filled the air and Laurie stopped. A chorus of whispers suddenly made itself present, but there was one voice that Laurie recognized immediately. Fire blazing in her ice blue eyes, the orange ninja walked towards the sound quickly. This was absolutely crazy. "Skales!" Laurie growled, following the sound of the voices. Everything stopped, but Laurie continued on. "Where are you, coward?" She had never felt so angry, the blood literally feeling as if it were boiling beneath her skin.

"A coward?" laughed Skales, his voice startling Laurie. She spun around, nearly bumping into the serpent before taking a few steps backwards. "Let's not jump to conclusions, girl. We weren't trying to hide from you in the slightest." He watched as Laurie narrowed her eyes and he took in her attire. "It seems like you were on your way to something important, so don't let us stop you." His smile widened as the other generals formed a half circle around the girl.

Laurie could feel herself blushing, regretting yet again that she had not changed while she had the chance. "Where's Lloyd?" the red head asked forcefully, ignoring everything Skales had previously said. She turned around, trying to distribute her focus equally among the snakes that virtually surrounded her. Skales' face visibly fell and Laurie noticed the other generals looking puzzled, their gazes resting solely on the Hypnobrai. Skalidor opened his mouth to say something, but Skales shot him a dirty look, quickly silencing him. "Don't play dumb with me!" Laurie shouted, becoming frustrated. "I know you have him and Rhea, the little girl. I was on my way to the warehouse like you asked. Why are you here and is my brother okay?"

Once more, Skalidor tried to say something, but this time Fangtom elbowed him in the side. Laurie heard the Constrictai suck in a large breath before asking Fangtom what is was that he had done wrong. "The young Garmadon is safe…for now," Skales hissed, slithering forward. Laurie raised an eyebrow, but stood her ground. "You were wise to come alone. We wouldn't want to risk his safety further now, would we?" The orange ninja could feel her heart beating wildly against her ribs. So Lloyd was alright, or so the snakes said. She was not sure if she could believe them or not. Time was ticking away and Laurie felt as if the Serpentine were closing in around her. "If you come quietly, then we can guarantee everything will be alright."

Part of Laurie was just content with complying. If she went back with the Serpentine, managed to free Lloyd and Rhea, but ended up having to stay behind to make sure they could get away, that would not be too much of a defeat. At least her brother would be safe. No, there was no point in trying to bargain with them. Her original plan was going to work; Laurie just needed to remember that. If she could stop the snakes here, then she would have more than enough time to get the kids, and herself, safely back to the apartment.

The orange ninja stayed silent, refusing to answer the generals and she could tell Skales was growing impatient. Feeling adrenaline course through her veins at the very thought of fighting back by herself, Laurie held her hands out in front of her and concentrated. She imagined the wind rushing past her like a freight train, barreling into the serpents and sending them scattering around the asphalt. Involuntarily, Laurie closed her eyes, focusing more on the feeling of manipulating the wind to her will. Any minute now, the generals would be crying out in shock as they were thrown through the air.

Nothing happened.

"Are you serious?" Skales laughed, turning to Acidicus who flanked his right. All of the Serpentine broke out into fits of laughter as Laurie stood in the middle. What was wrong? She closed her eyes again, trying to feel any small breeze to grab on to and intensify, but there was nothing. There was a hand on her shoulder and Laurie opened her eyes, meeting Skales. His tail was rattling wildly back and forth. Laurie turned around, avoiding his hypnotic gaze and trying her hardest to collect herself. Why was it not working, her powers? "We gave you a chance to give up, but you leave us no choice," the Hypnobrai continued. "Get her."

Skalidor spun around, lashing his tail out at the orange ninja. She saw the attack from her peripheral vision and jumped backwards, barely avoiding what would have been a tight squeeze. Strong hands gripped Laurie's bare shoulders and she wildly thrust her right elbow backwards. Acidicus cried out, releasing her and Laurie stumbled forward, the adrenaline still pumping through her body. She could still do this; she could still fight her way out of here. Backing up, the orange ninja almost tripped over her own feet as she held her hands out again. "Just work," Laurie begged, trying to force something to happen. "Come on!"

"Leaving so soon?" teased Fangtom, both heads grinning wickedly. His thin fangs were gleaming in the low light. Laurie bit her bottom lip, imagining those fangs piercing her flesh. This drudged up an unpleasant memory; Lloyd lying unconscious on the blistering sand of the desert, his skin sickly green. Fangtom had done that to her brother and Laurie was not about to allow the same thing to happen to her. She stopped and lunged forward, landing a hard kick to the Fangpyre's chest. He stumbled into Skales who growled and pushed him aside.

This was so stupid! Why did she ever think that she could actually pull this off? What good was she going to be to Lloyd and Rhea if she was caught too? Skales grabbed for Laurie, but she side-stepped away. Everything was looking desperate and Laurie could only see one last resort. "Ninja-Go!" she yelled, attempting to actually perform Spinjitzu. Instead of the dusty looking tornado that had engulfed her only a handful of times before, Laurie only saw the red skirt of her dress fan out as she spun around quickly before stopping. Disoriented from her failure and spinning, Laurie stopped and tried to get her bearings on the generals. Her vision was swimming and swaying, but when everything finally came back into focus one thing was painfully obvious; Laurie was not out of the woods.

Acidicus laughed and opened his mouth. Before Laurie even realized what was happening she was staggering backwards, rubbing her eyes wildly. This was worse than just seeing slightly double. Everything around her was moving and twisting as if she were underwater. Groaning, she managed to find an opening between the serpents and took off running. Street lights flew by as Laurie sprinted down the nearest street which was empty. As she attempted to make her way up onto the curb of the sidewalk, she tripped.

Palms and knees made contact with the hard ground and Laurie clenched her teeth to the stinging sensations. With her heart beating erratically, Laurie tried to blink away the venom that she knew was settling into her eyes. She glanced up at the moon which seemed to disappear behind a black veil, cutting out some of the light. A street lamp across the road flickered before going out completely. One by one, each source of light around her dimmed before fading to black. The encroaching darkness terrified the orange ninja. She unsteadily got to her feet and backed into a building behind her.

Movement sounded somewhere in front of her, but Laurie could not see what was happening. Everything was too dark. "I-it's just in your head," she tried to tell herself, voice shaking as she used the wall behind her to lean against. As much as she knew what was happening was all an illusion, Laurie was honestly too scared to even pull herself together. The sound of someone approaching was getting louder, coming from off to her left. Using the wall, Laurie trailed her right hand along it as she moved forward, away from the noises.

It was hard to breathe now. Her body was literally becoming paralyzed with fear. Laurie could not get enough air into her lungs and she fell to her knees, coughing as her bones shuddered against the hard ground. Everything around her was still black. All the neon in the city had gone out. Every light that lined the street was gone. Blind and distraught, Laurie tried to crawl forward, but could not even tell if she was going anywhere. Her throat was tight with panic and sobs. "It's not…real…" she managed to choke out one last time before she was embraced by the sweet relief that was unconsciousness.

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Skalidor unwrapped his tail from around the girl's neck and watched as she fell over lifelessly on to the concrete. "You idiot!" Skales yelled, making his way down the street with both Acidicus and Fangtom in tow. The Hypnobrai shoved Skalidor aside as he slithered over to where Laurie lay. Her skin was practically white and it did not look like she was breathing. "What were you thinking? She's of no use to us if she's dead!"

"She's not dead, boss. She's just knocked out is all," Skalidor stammered, trying to prove his worth to the group. "We couldn't let her get away and steal her brother back from us." He glanced around at his fellow generals and felt as if they all doubted him. Skales looked angry and willing to lash out at any second. "Check her pulse if you want to! I'm telling you, she's not dead."

Feeling very concerned about the situation at hand, Skales placed a hand on Laurie's neck and felt the pounding of her pulse. Her chest rose and fell in a shallow rhythm which put his mind at ease. So Skalidor had not messed up after all. That could have been disastrous. "She wouldn't have found Lloyd or that other person she was looking for with us anyways," the Hypnobrai sighed, slithering away from the orange ninja. "We don't have them."

"We don't?" Skalidor questioned, sounding shocked by this statement. "I thought for sure we did! She said we had Lloyd so I thought you guys managed to get him somehow." Acidicus rolled his four eyes and Fangtom looked to Skales for an answer. "Wait…so we really don't have the people she was looking for?" This was truly disconcerting. The Constrictai felt as if he had been lied to by his fellow Serpentine.

Acidicus was the one to speak. "No, stupid, we don't have them. Skales wanted us to play along." Skalidor still seemed to be confused by what the Venomari was saying. The quizzical look on his black and orange face made Acidicus inhale deeply before continuing. "Skales wants both of them: the boy and the girl. If she thought we had Lloyd then why would we _not_ use that to our advantage?" There was no possible way that Skalidor could be this dense. He crossed his arms over his chest, still looking lost to the concept. "We don't have Lloyd! We don't have him now and we never did!"

"Oh," the Constrictai lamented, nodding his head in approval. "I get it now. Why did she think we had him then?"

The Fangpyre made his way over to Laurie and slung her over his right shoulder. "Who cares?" he laughed, his Romanian accent sounding odd in the silence of the night. "We have the girl and now we can use her as a way to get Lloyd. It will be much easier now. He's small and does not have his grey protector to help him." The group started to make its way down the street, back towards the sewer where they had emerged from.

Skales scoffed and pushed his way to the front of the pack, feeling like the natural leader. "Yes, that cousin of his has been gone for some time now." Involuntarily, he scanned the street ahead with his red eyes almost as if he expected someone to jump out and attack them. "Let's just hope that it stays that way." Skales felt uneasy and quickly gestured for the others to start descending in to the damp underground that they called home. "I'll take her, Fangtom," the Hypnobrai offered, extending his arms to hold Laurie as his friend was swallowed up in to darkness. He stared thoughtfully at Laurie's unconscious form and chuckled. "You're no different than _he_ is," Skales smirked. "Neither of you can protect Lloyd now though. You couldn't even protect yourself, girl."

As he finished gloating and prepared to lower both himself and Laurie in to the sewer, a dark shadow casts itself across Skales. He stopped where he was, glancing around nervously. "Taking things that do not belong to you is rude," came a stern voice. The Hypnobrai turned around to see a very unfamiliar figure standing over him. Never in his life had the serpent ever seen something quite like this. The stranger grabbed the teenager from off of Skales' shoulder and pushed him backwards. Startled, the snake slipped down into the sewer, landing awkwardly on his companions below.

"What's wrong, Skales?" Fangtom asked, one head looking angered while the other appeared concerned. The blue snake got up, brushed himself off and let out an enraged cry. "What happened, Skales?" the Fangpyre tried again. "Where's the girl?"

_Taking things that do not belong to you is rude._ The words stung terribly and Skales' mouth fell into an ugly scowl. It seemed to make sense now. Whoever that person had been was expecting to find the girl somewhere. Meanwhile, she was searching for her brother and another person who were missing. Both of the Garmadon siblings were out of his reach now, in the hands of this stranger. "Laurie is gone," Skales spat, ignoring the looks from his fellow Serpentine. "It's time to move back to the planning phase."

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**As always thank you, yes you, for reading. I say it all the time, I continue to say it ****_all_**** the time, but I really wouldn't be accomplishing any of this if it wasn't for you: the reader. So thank you for all of the support in its various forms.**

**Plus, thanks to Packerfan95 specifically for making parts of this story possible with his permission. Thanks, bro! :D**


	19. Disclosure

**Happy Friday! Last night was another late night, but only because I was struck by terrible writer's block on the last few hundred words. It was absolute torture. XD**

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Chapter Nineteen: Disclosure

"Tonight was supposed to be all about having a good time," Nya sighed, rubbing her bare arms. Jay noticed this and shrugged out of his jacket, placing the black garment over Nya's shoulders. She smiled and gave the Ninja of Lightning a quick peck on the cheek before continuing. "Now it sounds like you didn't have a good time and it's obvious that Laurie didn't either." The samurai could see Kai narrowing his eyes as she spoke. "Don't look at _me_ like that," she chided, pulling the jacket tighter around herself. "_You_ were the one that made her leave."

Kai sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I didn't _make_ her leave. She did that all on her own." The streets were slightly crowded as the other guests from the ball headed back home as well. A car drove past, its blinding headlights illuminating the asphalt before it turned a corner. "Besides, I didn't want her to go anyways. Everything that happened was just a big misunderstanding." His light brown eyes searched his sister's face who seemed unimpressed with his explanation. "I mean it," the red ninja asserted. "She didn't hear everything I had to say and she wouldn't stay to let me explain myself." His face fell as he replayed the moment in his head. Laurie had looked so hurt and that was the last thing he had wanted to do to her.

"It's my fault," Cole piped in, fiddling with the bow tie around his neck. As it loosened he took in a deep breath. "I saw Kai by himself and he looked, I don't know, sad." His gaze lingered on his brother for a little while. Kai frowned and averted his eyes to the ground. "Well, sadder than usual. I asked him what was wrong and that was what started everything."

The nindroid contemplated this as the group took a right at the nearest intersection. They were almost home now. "That does not matter, Cole. You simply engaged Kai in a conversation. He was the one who upset Laurie, not you." Zane glanced back and noticed Kai trailing farther behind the group, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his dress slacks. "I did not mean to offend you, Kai," he apologized. "I was simply informing Cole that it was not his fault."

Kai nodded his head. Zane was right; it was no one's fault but his own. It had been nice of Cole to try and alleviate the heavy guilt that sat upon his shoulders. He wished that Laurie would have stayed and been willing to listen to him, but Kai understood how upset she must have been. There was a hand on the red ninja's shoulder and he looked up to see Jay. Jay slung his arm over his friend's shoulders now and smiled. "Don't worry about it. You've both had a chance to cool off and I'm sure Laurie will be willing to listen to you when we get back."

Everyone walked in silence as they traversed the streets, making their way back home. "It may have to wait until tomorrow though, Kai," Nya said softly, her gaze directed on her brother. "Laurie might not be willing to listen just yet. Plus, they might all be asleep when we get back." She noticed the red ninja nod softly and she drew in a deep breath. "Seriously, Kai, don't beat yourself up over this. Everyone makes mistakes and if Laurie still cares about you then she'll come around."

They stopped in front of the apartment and Cole turned the doorknob and leaned into the door, opening it slowly. "If Laurie still cares about me?" Kai scoffed, addressing his sister. "Yeah, that's what I was trying to figure out tonight in the first place." He ran into both Zane and Cole who had stopped in front of him. Wondering what the holdup was, Kai looked into the apartment through the space between his two brothers. His eyes widened as he was met with what almost appeared to be an empty apartment. The only thing that felt normal about it was Sensei Wu, standing over by the single window, gazing out of it.

"Sensei, where is everyone else?" Zane asked, finally stepping inside of the home. The others followed him closely, each surveying the areas they walked past. Kai did not see anything too out of the ordinary. A bag of chips was lying on the countertop, underneath an opened cupboard. He could see the light in the room reflecting off of several areas on the ground near the window. Walking towards the spot, Kai crouched down on the ground and picked up a shard of glass before tossing it back on the wooden panels. Yeah, where was everyone else?

The elderly man sighed and turned to face his students. "I-I'm not sure where they are," he confessed, his tone both soft and sad. Absentmindedly, Sensei Wu adjusted the straw hat upon his head before continuing on. "I arrived shortly before you, no more than a half hour ago. I should have been back much earlier, but I was at the hospital for visiting hours and then went to the dojo to meditate for a while." Sensei Wu bowed his head slightly, the edge of his hat shrouding his features in shadow. "If I had been back earlier, my nephew would still be here and safe."

Wait, what? "So Lloyd was taken?" Kai asked, getting to his feet and fiddling with the knot that kept his tie securely around his neck. How did anyone enjoy dressing up like this? Ties probably felt like the equivalent to a dog collar. "I bet it was that girl!" he growled, throwing the tie on to his bed and kicking his shoes off. "It was a stupid idea to leave him here with her. Lloyd shouldn't have had a choice in going to the ball or not. We should have made him come so we could keep an eye on him!"

"What's done is done, Kai," Cole said sharply, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it over a chair near the dining room table. "There's no use going back and thinking about what could have been done. That's not going to get Lloyd back." The black ninja turned to Sensei Wu, his amber eyes full of worry. "Do you think Rhea did this?"

Stroking his beard thoughtfully, Sensei Wu shook his head. "I don't believe that she was involved with this," he answered, lifting his head. He noticed Kai rolling his eyes and promptly hit the red ninja on his left arm with his walking stick. "Look for yourself, Kai. The glass is inside the room, which means it was broken from the outside. If you really do believe that Rhea was responsible for this, why would she go outside just to come around and break back in?"

Kai thought about this, crossing his arms over his chest and frowning. It would have taken a lot more time to set up an elaborate ploy than to just kidnap Lloyd. He sighed, raising his arms up in defeat before collapsing backwards on to his bed. So maybe he was wrong about this whole thing. "Fine, if you don't think it was Rhea than who was it? The Serpentine?" Silence fell upon the entire room and Kai sat up suddenly. Of course! Why had they not thought of this before? "I-it had to have been the Serpentine," the red ninja continued, his eyes wide. "This would have been the perfect opportunity for them to get him!" How could they have been so blind?

"I think Kai's right," Jay swallowed, pushing up the long sleeves of his blue dress shirt. "Those snakes have been trying so hard to get their scaly hands on Lloyd." He felt Nya slip her hand into his own and the Ninja of Lightning squeezed it reassuringly. "We have to go out and look for him. If we go now we might be able to surprise them. They probably won't expect us to come looking so late at night."

Jay's argument was making complete sense. Cole felt anxious and wanted to hit the streets immediately to look for their youngest team member. He was reminded of when this had almost happened a few months earlier; the fight in the subway with the Generals while Skales snuck into their overly expensive apartment and attempted to kidnap Lloyd. Now they had actually managed to succeed. "Sensei," the leader started, giving a deep bow, "we'll leave immediately to look for Lloyd. I don't think any of us are going to be able to rest until we know he's safe."

Sensei Wu nodded and smiled. "Thank you, my students. I will stay here while you're out just in case my niece or Rhea happens to return."

Everyone was changing now, spinning into their armored uniforms. Kai was not necessarily focused as he performed his Spinjitzu. Laurie had not been back to the apartment? He could not think of a reason that she would have wandered around the city rather than just coming home after she left the party. It seemed odd and really unlike her. Laurie was terrified of the dark, so why would she be out right now?

"Kai, are you coming?" Nya asked, gesturing towards the open door.

He blinked quickly, pulling his mask down and noticing that the others were already on their way out of the apartment. "Of course I'm coming," he said, grabbing his sword and sheathing it in the holster on his back. When they found those snakes, Kai hoped that they would beat them to a pulp.

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A low groan escaped Laurie's lips as she suddenly felt her consciousness come flooding back. With great difficulty, she managed to open her eyes. Sparse, dim lights greeted her, barely illuminating her surroundings. From what the orange ninja could tell, she was in a vast area, seemingly empty with nothing but the support beams for the roof taking up some space. The teenager blinked several times, testing to see if the Venomari venom was still taking its toll on her. As her vision appeared normal and stable, Laurie gave a sigh of relief.

She leaned forward, trying to stand up, but noticed that she could not move. Her wrists were tied behind her, secured around one of the roof supports. Laurie leaned her head back against the concrete beam and saw it disappear into the darkness above. Where was she and how did she get here? It had to have been Skales and the other Serpentine. Inhaling deeply, Laurie pulled against the rope binding her hands. "Hello?" she called out, gritting her teeth against the pain in her wrists.

"Laurie, is that you?" came a small voice from somewhere in the darkness.

Every muscle in her body tensed up as her heart beat faster. "Lloyd!" the orange ninja yelled, pulling harder against her restraints. This must have been the warehouse she was supposed to meet the snakes at. "Where are you? I can't see you."

A shuffling sound came from across the empty space, echoing off of the bare walls. Laurie's eyes widened as one of the odd stone men from the city appeared underneath a hanging light a few feet in front of her. One of its hands was wrapped around Lloyd's left arm. The young boy's hands were tied in front of him and he continuously kicked his captor in the leg. Laurie saw the creature's other hand gripped Rhea's right shoulder. She seemed a little nervous, her dark eyes darting back and forth nervously. "Laurie!" the green ninja breathed, attempting to rush forward, away from the stone man. "How'd you find us?"

Wait a second, where were the Serpentine? "I got a note from Skales," Laurie answered, giving up on trying to break free from her bonds. Lloyd and Rhea were so close to her, yet she could not get to them. "The note said that if I didn't come here than you were going to die, Lloyd." Her own words hung in the tense air and Laurie suddenly realized something she had not previously. Killing Lloyd? Why would the Serpentine go to such great lengths to get a hold of him if they were just going to kill him? She felt her breath catch in her dry throat as she saw the confused look on her brother's face. "It wasn't the Serpentine that took you," Laurie sighed.

"No, it was not the snakes," someone chuckled. The eerie, raspy sound reverberated off of the surrounding walls, sending a chill up Laurie's spine. Out of the corner of her eye, the orange ninja could see a dark form dart underneath one of the flickering lights that hung from the ceiling. As quickly as it had appeared, it vanished. The laughter started up once more, deep and condescending. Laurie pulled against the ropes again, feeling an ominous presence fill the room. The shadowy figure appeared once again, this time standing behind Rhea. "It was me."

Underneath the light, Laurie could see the stranger better. It was definitely male, the rasping voice deep and throaty, but also definitely a shadow. There was no doubt in her mind now that this threat was more powerful than the Serpentine had ever been. The edges of this shadowy man wisped outwards and dissipated into the air entirely. Laurie narrowed her ice blue eyes, feeling her legs trembling slightly under the weight of her own body. "Well then, 'me', I'm here so let them go now."

"I never promised to release them upon your arrival," the shadow stated. Despite lacking defining facial features, the red head could have sworn he was smirking. "No, I recall dictating to my trusted General that the boy would not be killed. So, as it has been promised, I will not kill him." The tall, stone man glared his fluorescent green eyes underneath of his helmet and pushed Lloyd to the ground. Releasing a small grunt of pain, the green ninja was roughly pulled up by the hood of his sweatshirt by his captor, who looked at the shadow once more. "Of course, that does not mean that he will walk away unscathed."

Every nerve in her body was on edge. This guy was not playing around and it was scary. At least the Serpentine had kind of had their best interests in mind, despite the fact that they would have been used as hostages. She closed her eyes, hoping to try again to conjure a blast of wind that could possibly help Rhea get away. The girl was the only one without bonds, though the shadow continued to lurk behind her. Sweat began beading on her forehead as she concentrated, but nothing happened as the minutes passed by. "Why can't I do this?" she growled underneath of her breath.

"That's a fine trinket you have around your neck, girl," the shadow laughed, coming closer. The air around Laurie grew colder, but her eyes had adjusted to the patches of darkness well enough now that she could discern the kidnapper's silhouette. His hand reached out to grab her necklace, but passed right through it, leaving the skin just underneath Laurie's neck feeling like ice. "This gem in the middle is especially eye-catching. Where did you acquire such a piece of jewelry?" The shadow-man disappeared, choosing to stand behind Rhea once more.

"My boyfri-," Laurie started, but quickly swallowed the words. "I got it from a friend. Why, what do you care?"

The shadow wrapped what appeared to be its arms around Rhea and the young girl visibly tensed her muscles to his touch. "I care because it's doing exactly what it's supposed to do." Laurie's bewildered expression caused the man to laugh. "Do you think it's a coincidence that your abilities don't work while it hangs around your neck? That large gemstone on your trinket is made from a special dark matter only found where _I _dwell. I know about you, about what you are capable of. I was not going to take any chances."

What was he talking about? The more Laurie thought about it, the more his words made sense. It _had_ only been since she put it on that she had been unable to control her elemental abilities. Since she had not changed out of her dress, she had not thought about taking Kai's gift off either. Wait…if it was Kai's gift to her, then he must have known about all of this. Why would he put Lloyd in danger if this was a plan to get back at her? "No, the person who gave me this was a friend and they would never try to hurt me. Who are you, liar?"

Rhea stumbled forward slightly as the stone man shoved her right shoulder. Her dark brown eyes gazed into Laurie's and she decided to look at the ground instead. "Oh, Rhea is no friend of yours, girl. She must have had you completely fooled," the shadow laughed. The young girl raised her head slowly only to see Laurie's hurt face. "As for me, I am known as the Overlord and I can assure you that I'm no liar."

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**Alright, thank you for reading! I'm so looking forward to developing this further next week, plus it will be my last week of math class for the summer. Two victories! See you next Friday! :D**


	20. Broken Trust

**Happy Friday! It took me a while to write this chapter. I honestly couldn't think of anything to write and then it turned in to this. So...I hope it actually makes sense.**

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Chapter Twenty: Broken Trust

Slightly ignoring the latter of the shadow's statement, Laurie turned her gaze upon Rhea. What did he mean, that "she must have been completely fooled"? Then her thoughts drifted back to the moment she had initially put on the necklace. Laurie had asked Rhea if she wanted to see it and the girl had immediately declined. The expression on her face had seemed to be a mixture of anxiety and sadness. "Did you actually give this necklace to me, Rhea?" the orange ninja now asked, her jaw set.

The young girl continued to find other places around the darkened room to stare and just nodded her head in reply. Laurie felt her breath leave her lungs for a brief second. Of course Kai would not give her an item that would harm her. She had been stupid to even think that. Kai's hurt face from the ball flooded Laurie's memory and she shifted uncomfortably. She should have stayed and listened to what he had to say instead of running out like she did. Her mother had always told her that was she was extremely stubborn, a trait that she had apparently inherited from her father. "I thought you'd changed," Laurie said sadly. "I understood why you were the way you were."

It felt as if someone had landed a hard punch to her stomach. Rhea took a few steps backwards, settling beside General Kozu once more. She inhaled sharply and felt an odd sensation rising up behind her eyes. Blinking quickly, the girl managed to hold back the tears. When was the last time she had cried? It had been after her parents were killed. Rhea raised her head, locking eyes with the orange ninja once more before averting her gaze over to Lloyd. He seemed just as upset as Laurie did, but there was something else there as well.

"She _has_ changed though," the young boy argued, pulling against the stone general, though his grip did not yield. "Rhea saved me from Skalidor. Don't you remember that, Laurie?" He watched as his sister only nodded slightly in reply. "She didn't have to do that. She could have just left me there, but she didn't." Lloyd looked over at his friend and watched as her expression softened. "Besides when this guy took us," he narrowed his emerald green eyes at his captor who stood emotionless and stoic, "he broke in to the apartment. Rhea didn't let him in or anything. She _has_ changed, Laurie. Maybe she didn't know what the necklace did."

Laurie contemplated this for a little while. Perhaps Lloyd was right. Her thoughts drifted back to the night on the roof, when they had both had their little chat. She recalled giving up; giving Rhea permission to kill her, but the young girl had not taken any action. No, she had instead convinced Laurie that her life was not worth cutting short until the time came. Maybe the necklace was a mistake. Maybe Rhea had accidentally left the necklace on her bed and forgotten about it. Laurie gave her brother a smile, feeling more confident about their current predicament.

"Blind faith and trust," the Overlord laughed, pacing back and forth. "It is a weakness that I have discovered plagues all of those who fight for the light." He watched as the red head narrowed her eyes. "It was no mistake that the necklace was given to you. Rhea knew exactly what she was doing." The young girl nodded in reply to this statement, inhaling deeply. "She is also the reason I was able to find your place of residence and your brother. I've left a mark on her, both a means of communication and tracking. It suited my needs quite nicely."

Rhea felt some of the color drain away from her face as she lightly brushed her thin fingers across the star-shaped scar on her face. Laurie took notice of this a gritted her teeth. Maybe some people just really could not change. "Fine," she spat harshly, feeling a wave of anger well up inside of her, "you were clever and managed to pull the wool over my eyes. You win, Rhea, congratulations." The orange ninja then turned her attention to the Overlord, his shadowy figure shaking in the low light. "You obviously put a lot of thought and effort into getting to this point: your little lackey, the necklace, and taking my brother. So why am I here? What do you want?"

The room grew silent as the Overlord approached, circling Laurie briefly before stopping a foot in front of her. Around her the air grew colder as her heart kept a steady rhythm much to her own surprise. "I've been around for quite a long time," the shadow started, his raspy voice sounding harsh as it broke the palpable silence. "Since Ninjago was created I have fought for control over it, but my quest for power was cut short by an old coward. His vision to live in a world of light was shattered because he in turn created me, an entity of darkness. I could not be destroyed so easily for there must always be a balance between good and evil, so he split the land in half, weakening me and sending me off to the middle of nowhere."

This was becoming tedious. "That's a great story," Laurie stated, sarcasm dripping in her voice. If her hands were not currently tied behind her back she would have given him a condescending bought of applause. "The balance of good and evil being maintained and all of that good stuff, yeah it's great. I could sit here and listen to you talk about it all day. Unfortunately, I don't understand what any of that has to do with me." She could feel the air becoming thick with tension as she finished talking, seemingly radiating from the Overlord.

"Resorting to the most pitiful defense mechanism of a mortal, are we? Sarcasm has no place in _my _world, girl." The shadow lunged forward, attempting to grab Laurie's shoulders. She closed her eyes and turned her head away; waiting to feel some sort of pain or discomfort, but it never came. Opening her eyes slowly, Laurie saw the Overlord's arm go right through her body and she gasped. It was almost like he was not even here. With a growl, he stepped back and the cold that engulfed Laurie subsided slightly. "This story is more relevant to you than you know. The old fool who tried to destroy me was your grandfather. I can feel it, the same life energy running through both your veins and your brother's."

Her grandfather? Laurie did not know too much about her grandfather. Her father had never liked to talk about him and all her mother ever told her was that he had been a master of Spinjitzu. If he truly was the "old fool" from the Overlord's story than he had created Ninjago. He had created the Overlord. Laurie knew enough about Ninjago folklore to know that the First Spinjitzu Master had created the land. Sudden realization dawned on her: she had the coolest grandfather in the entire world. "So our grandfather banished you from Ninjago?" Laurie asked, a smile creeping up on her freckled face. "He obviously had a good reason to do so. Now you're taking it out on his grandchildren? That seems more pitiful than using sarcasm as a 'defense mechanism'."

Seemingly ignoring this and collecting himself, the Overlord prepared to continue. This girl was getting on his last nerve. "It is prophecised that the green ninja will rise to face a great evil and defeat it." He could hear the boy behind him laugh slightly, but the Overlord attempted to ignore this. "_However_, that cannot be accomplished unless another prophecised individual sacrifices themselves prior." The orange ninja tensed up and the Overlord chuckled lightly. "I take it you've heard this before and I assume that you also know what I have been speculating: that _you_ are the one that is destined to die."

"Laurie, what's he talking about?" Lloyd called out. He had never heard anything like that before. A sacrifice? He had already watched his uncle be consumed by the Great Devourer and witnessed someone else dear to him die at the hands of his father. What was going to happen now?

So the time had finally come, the moment that Laurie had been dreading for the past two days. "Lloyd, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a little while." She took in a deep breath, the words she was preparing to say catching in her throat as Lloyd's voice permeated her thoughts. _Please promise me you'll never go away or leave me_. The tears were now threatening to spill. "I'm supposed to die in order for you to succeed. You can't complete your destiny until I complete mine. A sacrifice has to be made."

The words now hung in the air as silence reclaimed the interior of the warehouse. With a deep, throaty chuckle, the Overlord paced back and forth, his gaze on Lloyd. "You did not know? That's a shame I suppose, discovering something of that magnitude soon before someone dies. Had you known sooner, then maybe you would have been able to properly treasure the last moments you had with your sister." Lloyd struggled once more against Kozu's strong grip and eventually gave up. "Now she must die tonight, in this room." The Overlord turned now to Rhea who clasped her hands behind her back awkwardly. "This should have been taken care of a month ago, but I guess I can't fault you. Thanks to your procrastination this has become much more of a show."

Rhea nodded quickly, pulling a karambit from her hair and gripping it tightly in her right hand. Yes, she should not have waited so long. If anything, she should have taken the opportunity to kill Laurie on the roof a few nights ago. As the young girl bowed to the Overlord she could hear Lloyd protesting in the background. "You don't have to do this, Rhea! You've changed, I _know_ you have!" There was no time to listen to anything, no time to think about what she was about to do. Rhea just had to get it done with so she could leave Ninjago and forget about everything that had happened over the past couple of days.

Taking the first few steps across the warehouse was difficult. Rhea remembered just hours ago playing a video game with Lloyd, something she had never experienced in her life. There was Lloyd attempting to protect her from Kozu just as she had saved him from the snake. Laurie was laughing softly as the butterfly landed on the tip of Rhea's nose and she stared at it. Memories that Rhea wished she had never experienced were flooding her mind. She looked down, now standing directly in front of the orange ninja, her vision slightly blurred by unwanted tears. This had to be done though. It was her job and she had never left a job unfinished.

"If you kill me than you'll just be fulfilling the prophecy regardless," Laurie blurted out suddenly. She watched as Rhea loosened the grip on her weapon. "A sacrifice is a sacrifice in its own right. It doesn't matter if you kill me now or wait for my destiny to properly occur. My prophecy will be fulfilled and then Lloyd will win the battle against the Dark Lord."

Rhea took a glance back at her "father", seeking an answer. Laurie sounded like she knew what she was talking about. What if all of this was for nothing after all? "Ignore her," she heard him shout angrily. "A sacrifice is for a noble cause. I see no fight or battle happening around us at this point in time." The young girl raised an eyebrow, confused about what he meant. "Don't let her words fool you, child. I've been around for a long time and I know what a sacrifice is. _This_ would not be a sacrifice. No, this would be murder."

The word sounded so dirty and sent a chill down Rhea's spine. She had never thought about what she did for a living as murder. Assassination had always sounded better in her own head, more important and precocious. Now Rhea was starting to realize that they were the exact same thing. She turned back towards Laurie who looked helpless now, slowly lowering her head and hiding behind a curtain of red hair. Well at least Rhea would not have to look at her face when she finished her job. Duty came before friendship. She gripped the single karambit with both hands, shaking slightly as she raised it above her head.

"Water!" Lloyd shouted, holding his bound hands out in front of him. In this state he could not entirely control the stream of liquid, but he managed to knock his captor backwards and catch Rhea's attention. She spun around quickly, her mouth opened slightly in shock. Free now from the stone man's grip, the green ninja charged forward. He used his right shoulder as a weapon as he barreled into Rhea, the two sprawling out on to the ground. The karambit skittered across the concrete floor and Lloyd quickly got to his feet, trying to find it in the darkness. His left foot hit something and the green ninja immediately picked it up awkwardly with both hands. He did not have much time.

Rhea groaned as she got on to her knees, watching Lloyd run towards his sister in the darkness. He was absolutely insane! "Don't just stand there, Rhea, catch him!" the Overlord shouted, rage obvious in his voice. She could feel her scar burning slightly on her skin. Removing the other weapon from her hair, Rhea charged after Lloyd, watching as he ducked behind the pillar that Laurie was tied to.

"What was that?" Laurie breathed, hearing Lloyd kneel behind her. An odd tugging sensation on the rope binding her wrists started. He must have been using Rhea's weapon to try and free her. Her brother was growing up quickly, becoming extremely resourceful and great fighter. Both of her arms fell to her side and without a second's hesitation, Laurie ripped the necklace from around her neck. The chain was painful against her skin until it snapped under the pressure, falling to the floor. Lloyd came around the front, helping his sister to her feet and the two stood side by side. "Thanks," the orange ninja whispered, watching as Rhea ran closer. "Seriously though, what was that?"

"Um…I was saving you," Lloyd stated plainly, tossing the small, curved weapon to Laurie who fumbled to get a good grip on it before using the sharp edge to free her brother from his own bonds. Rhea approached Lloyd, throwing a punch that he ducked under and Laurie held her hands out, feeling a gust of wind rush past her. The young girl was thrown a few feet away, landing in a slight crouch. So that necklace really had been limiting Laurie's powers. Rhea stood up, squeezing the handle of her remaining weapon.

This was far from over.

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**Alrighty then. To be continued next week. Thank you for reading! :D**


	21. Wavering Heart

**Happy Friday! Once again I pulled this together out of absolutely nothing. I'm noticing as I continue to write that what I envision a chapter as is always completely different from how it turns out. I still haven't figured out if that's a good thing or a bad thing.**

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Chapter Twenty-One: Wavering Heart

"We have to get out of here as soon as possible," Laurie breathed, resisting the urge to push Lloyd behind her. As much as she wanted to protect her brother, she knew that he could hold his own in a fight. She was not always going to be there for him and she just had to get used to that. Rhea ran forward, her dark brown eyes blazing with hatred. She jumped off of the ground, poising her left foot to kick the red head in the face. Laurie crossed her arms in front of her and felt the weight of the small girl's body push off of her forearm. Rhea landed in a crouch.

Lloyd backed up, his head whipping around in every direction. "Okay, but I don't know where the exit is," he stated, watching as Rhea got to her feet. She threw her remaining karambit and the green ninja threw himself at his sister, the two crashing to the ground. With a slight whistle, the weapon sailed through the air, passing over their heads. Laurie blinked and stood up quickly, pulling Lloyd to his feet. That had been a close one.

"So, you have no idea where the exit is?" the orange ninja asked, grabbing Lloyd's hand before she started running. The boy stumbled behind her, losing his footing several times as his sister dragged him along. He glanced back, his emerald eyes focusing on Rhea. She was trying to catch up with them. Swallowing hard, he held his free hand out, feeling a stream of water erupt from it. Rhea adjusted her course around the attack and Lloyd sighed. "I heard that!" Laurie shouted, turning her head to see the water strewn all over the ground. "That's what I was talking about earlier, Lloyd! You're using water?"

They were still running. It was hard to concentrate on attempting to escape and fight someone off at the same time. "Yes, I'm using water," he argued, now taking the lead as he saw Laurie heading towards a wall that was suddenly illuminated by a nearby light. "I can master all of the elements, Laurie. Did you forget?" The Overlord suddenly appeared in front of Lloyd and he stopped, his sister nearly knocking him over.

Laurie narrowed her eyes and barreled right through the shadow. Every nerve on her body tingled with immediate cold, but soon she was through him and watching as Lloyd followed her lead. Despite coming off as threatening and having a certain air of malevolence about him, the Overlord was not much of a threat. Lloyd thrust his palm in to the ground and a small wall made from the earth sprung up, catching both the Overlord and Rhea off guard. "I'm aware that you can master all of the elements," Laurie answered, rolling her eyes. "Where did water come from?"

Rhea could hear them talking with each other, just holding a conversation as if they were casually walking down a street. She gazed up at the Overlord, feeling defeated and embarrassed. This was not turning out how she had expected it to. She was the best at what she did and she could not even catch either of them. The burning sensation from her scar intensified and Rhea rubbed it furiously, attempting to alleviate the pain. "Don't just stand there," she heard her father growl. "Go and get them." She nodded and hopped over the small barrier that Lloyd had created. Unfortunately, the girl was at a disadvantage.

"I was taught how to use it," the green ninja replied in response to his sister's question. "That's how it works. The masters of the different elements teach me how to use them. Eventually, I'll know how to use them all." Rhea was coming again. The girl was absolutely relentless in her pursuit. Lloyd held out his hand and watched as tiny, blue sparks danced around his fingers. Concentrating, he tried to control the electricity and send it towards Rhea. Laurie stood beside him watching anxiously. Sweat began beading on Lloyd's forehead, but he could not harness the element enough to fully control it. Letting a large, ragged breath escape his lips, he took a few steps backwards. "Okay, so maybe I'll need Jay to teach me about this a little more."

Swallowing hard, Laurie stood her ground, remembering that she still had Rhea's other weapon in her possession. Awkwardly, the teenager gripped the handle in her right hand, watching as the blade curved upwards and away from her. How did you use a weapon that was just so oddly shaped? It resembled a pirate's hook and Laurie was hoping that she could use it effectively. Last time she had tried to fight with one, it had not turned out so well. Rhea rushed forward, planting her left foot on the ground and kicking her right leg out. Her foot snapped hard against Laurie's wrist and the orange ninja dropped Rhea's weapon to the ground. Feeling pain rattle her bones, Laurie tried to locate the weapon so she could pick it up, but the young girl was too fast. She struck yet again, her sneakered foot in the orange ninja's stomach. Laurie felt herself skid across the ground on her back, stopping after a few seconds.

"Laurie!" Lloyd shouted, turning to see if his sister was okay. She had disappeared in to a section of the room that was not lit. A hand was on the front of his sweatshirt and he met Rhea's gaze as she forced him backwards. The karambit that Laurie had dropped was now in her hand and she gripped the handle with a great intensity. Her knuckles were beginning to turn white. "You don't have to do this," the green ninja said. His voice was even and strong. Rhea felt both of her arms shake slightly.

This was Lloyd she was about to hurt. He had lied to his sister in order to protect the information on how he had truly been injured during the fight with the snake. He had saved her from Kozu, even though he had been the one who had caused the general to attack anyways. He had been the one that initially released her from her bonds in the apartment, the one who had offered her friendship. She could not bring herself to hurt him. Her grip on Lloyd loosened and he took the opportunity to grab her wrist and twist it to the right. She felt tears rise to the surface of her eyes as she relinquished her hold on the karambit and heard it drop to the floor with a clatter.

Her brother's voice filled the air. Laurie lay on the hard floor, waiting for her breath to come back to her. It was ragged in her chest, but the discomfort was beginning to subside. Without anything to focus on, Laurie's eyes drifted upwards towards the ceiling. Instead of the encroaching blackness that she anticipated to see, the girl saw two florescent green eyes staring back at her. She had forgotten about the stone man! Laurie's mind had been too focused on Rhea and the Overlord. He jabbed one of his two swords downwards, pinning part of the skirt of Laurie's dress to the ground. She just lay there, staring wide eyed at the adversary above her, pulling against the single object that prevented her from leaving.

"Got you now," General Kozu laughed, holding his remaining butterfly sword in his upper right hand. This was it; he was going to do what the pipsqueak had failed to do. He was not surprised by this outcome though. Rhea had never impressed him and he knew deep down that she did not have the heart to finish this job. She was in too deep now to separate herself from her cover, he could see it in her eyes. The hilt of the sword felt comfortable in his hand as he quickly jabbed it downwards.

The sword struck the ground with an unexpected force. Kozu glanced over to his right and saw the girl unsteadily getting to her feet, part of her dress ripped. So she had managed to roll out of the way in time. Procuring both swords from the floor with ease, the stone man leapt forward, giving chase to the one individual that his master wanted dead.

She wanted to stop, to just end this here and now, but her previous experience with the stone people flooded her mind. Laurie recalled that nothing she or her friends had done had fazed the one they fought back in Ninjago City. Her thoughts were too frazzled now to concentrate hard enough on her abilities. All she could do right now was run. The thundering of her footsteps through the large and empty room filled her ears, mixing with the pounding of blood. "Lloyd?" she called out, scanning the area ahead of her for her brother. "Lloyd, where are you?"

A hand grabbed one of Laurie's wrists and she initially pulled against it, feeling trapped. "Calm down," a familiar voice chastised. "It's just me."

Lloyd's voice was calming and the orange ninja let him take the lead. He was pulling her forcefully in a direction that she was not sure of. "Please tell me you know where you're going," she begged, hearing the man behind her continue his assault. Laurie needed to calm down or else she was not going to be able to be of any help in fighting. She took in a deep breath, trying not to concentrate on the environment around her, but on her element. Unfortunately, her mind latched on to something else. "You never explained to me how you learned how to use water," Laurie started, hearing Lloyd give an audible sigh.

"Seriously, Laurie?" the green ninja complained, noticing a shadow on the approaching wall that was darker than the surrounding area. "We can talk about this any other time." A smile spread itself across the boy's face. His suspicions had been correct. The strange shadow was indeed a door, but there was a large, metal padlock that glared back at him. With his free hand, Lloyd chopped at the door frame as if it were a piece of wood. The metal frame buckled and crumbled as the force of earth over powered it. Not wasting any time, Laurie finished the job by landing a hard kick to the center of the door.

Cool, night air swept past the siblings as the door fell forward on to the dirt. "Come on," Laurie urged, gently pushing Lloyd forward. "We have to lose these guys." Her eyes immediately fell upon Ninjago City and all of the bright neon that seemed to adorn every building. A single structure stood high above the others and a plan made itself apparent. "If we can make it to the Ninjago City Tower then maybe we can stir up a ruckus that will catch the others' attention. They'll come help us!" She sprinted forward, gesturing for Lloyd to follow her.

"Wait!" he yelled, glancing back behind him. Rhea stood in the broken door frame, her eyes wide and sad. Lloyd could not decide if she was formulating on how to attack them next or if she was just going to watch them disappear in to the night. He ripped his gaze away from his friend and hurried to catch up with his sister. "You mean to tell me that the ninja have no idea that any of this is happening?"

Laurie shrugged, happy to be outside where, despite the dark veil of night, there was more light than there was in the stuffy warehouse. "As far as I know they're still at the ball, but I'm sure they'll come help us."

* * *

How could this have happened? Her only job was to catch them, to stop them, and she had completely failed. A breeze whipped through the opening to the warehouse and Rhea watched as both Laurie and Lloyd gradually vanished in to the distance, growing closer to the over populated metropolis with every step. There was a rasping growl from behind and the young girl turned to see her father approach. She could tell he was disappointed and extremely agitated, the burning of her scar progressively growing stronger. It almost felt as if the skin around it was going to start melting. Clasping her hands behind her back, Rhea gave the shadow a small bow before waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Where is she?" the Overlord demanded, watching as the girl he had raised avoided looking at him. "I gave you a simple task, to catch the boy, and you could not even do that." Rhea felt her cheeks turn the brightest shade of red and she attempted to hide her face behind the long curtain of light blue hair that currently fell down around her. The Overlord could feel the small sliver of patience that lay within him virtually dissipating entirely. "Well," he began, pausing for only a moment, "where are they now?"

With a slightly shaking hand, Rhea tried to single out the large building that almost signified the center of the city. The Overlord made an impatient noise, almost as if he were clearing his throat, and Rhea felt a shiver run down her spine. _I think they are heading to the tall tower in the middle of Ninjago City_ she signed awkwardly, hoping that she had overheard Laurie correctly. She watched with disdain as Kozu roughly pushed past her, his double swords gripped tightly in two of his hands. In his right, lower hand was one of her karambits. "This was left inside," he spat, tossing the small weapon to the girl. She snatched it out of the air, but sucked in a deep breath. Accidently catching a weapon by the blade was painful. A thin line now ran down her left palm, blood beginning to slowly spill from it.

Ignoring the appearance of his right hand man, the Overlord continued to focus on the young girl. "Well then, if that's where they are going, we will follow them." Rhea's dark brown eyes widened and, with both of her weapons now back in her possession, she tied her hair back with them. Feeling more comfortable now, she nodded and gave the shadow a long bow before taking up a steady gait as she headed in the same direction as the siblings.

"Master," General Kozu started, his voice tinged with contempt, "why do you continue to rely on the girl? She has failed you on this mission." He transferred the sword in one of his right hands to his lower left hand and got down on one knee. "Allow me to finish this properly. I can assure you that I will not disappoint you."

The Overlord laughed and gestured for the stone man to rise. He happily obliged, re-configuring his butterfly swords to his liking. "Kozu, it has to be her. Her heart wavers on the line between good and evil. With this final kill, not only will I be rid of the prophecised one, but I will be able to make a full return to this world." He held out his hand which shifted and wavered as the wind blew through him. "No longer will I be just a memory or a shadow in this world. I will properly return to Ninjago and complete what I started long ago."

Kozu stood stoic, listening to his master's explanation. It seemed to make sense, at least in the Overlord's mind, but the stone man felt bitter. He was more than capable of just getting rid of both girls. Neither of them deserved to live in his opinion. The boy in the sweatshirt either. He had been bested by that little brat and his elemental powers. Despite what his master was thinking, Kozu felt as if he could still be the one to complete the task at hand. "Well then," he answered, "let us go see if the girl does, indeed, take care of the prophecised one."

* * *

**Alright, that's it for this week. Thank you for sticking with this story because I noticed the other day that this has been in the works for a while, considering that I published it back in February. So, I really wanted to thank everyone for being patient as this story unfolds for both you and me. See you next week. :)**


	22. Signals

**Happy Friday! I was really tired when I wrote this, so if you find any glaring grammar mistakes, please feel free to notify me. Also, I consider this more of a filler chapter. Sorry.**

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Chapter Twenty-Two: Signals

Street lights shone down, lining the streets that the two siblings ran down. Lloyd had caught up with his sister, keeping pace with her as she led the way through the roads of Ninjago City. It had to have been sometime in the early morning now. Most of the buildings and little shops were closed now, the neon signs doused for the remainder of the night. The young boy looked up, seeing the unmistakable form of the building they had decided upon as their destination loom closer. Lights from the roof shone upwards, slightly illuminating the sky above it. The Ninjago City Tower was extremely tall. He only hopped that whatever Laurie was planning was going to work. If the ninja did not come to help them then they would be trapped on the top, most likely surrounded by Rhea and the others.

The green ninja turned his gaze back over his shoulder, looking to see if they were being followed. As far as he could tell, both he and Laurie were in the clear, for now. Almost tripping over an unexpected curb, Lloyd stumbled forward slightly, grabbing on to Laurie's shoulder to stabilize himself. His sister turned around, slowing her pace slightly. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice slightly winded. He nodded to her in reply and released her shoulder. "Okay then, but if you need to stop, just say something. I'm sure I could hide you somewhere and lead them away from you. It's me they're after. You shouldn't have gotten dragged in to this."

"No," the young boy replied curtly. "I'm staying with you." A previous conversation with Rhea came back to him. He had told her that it was not smart to wander around alone when enemies were around. Lloyd was not about to let his sister go on alone, especially if Rhea was one of the individuals they were trying to avoid. The girl could fight and he knew that. There was something inside of him that still struggled with the idea of Rhea being deceptive. She had seemed surprised when the stone man broke in to the apartment. Her expression had been one of shock and disbelief. His emerald eyes drifted up to see the tower growing much closer. They were probably only a block or so away now. "I just hope you know what you're doing," Lloyd finished, dragging his mind back to reality.

Laurie swallowed hard, having mixed feelings about Lloyd's decision to stay with her. She was honestly happy to have him with her. He was a great fighter and just his presence made her feel stronger and more confident. On the other hand, she knew that he was putting himself in harm's way: something she did not necessarily approve of. Lloyd was stubborn though and she knew that no amount of persuasion would change his mind. She was stuck with her brother; a very bitter-sweet victory. "Yeah, I hope I know what I'm doing too," she whispered under her breath. The building was right in front of them now and the siblings came to an abrupt halt. "Last chance to change your mind," Laurie prompted, attempting to psyche herself up as doubts clouded her brain.

"After you," Lloyd smiled, moving to open one of the heavy, frosted-glass doors. Laurie sighed and nodded to her brother, moving inside of the building. A large, rustic looking clock sat on the wall behind the lobby desk. The aged, metal hands pointed out the time. It was a little past two o'clock in the morning. The orange ninja stifled a chuckle as her ice blue eyes landed upon a security guard, fast asleep with his head lying down on the desk. His right arm was strewn over a clipboard and pen, no doubt for guests to sign in before the entered various areas of the building. Unfortunately, the elevator near the desk appeared to have a keypad situated to the left of it. They did not know the pass code.

"How are we going to get up to the top?" Laurie huffed, feeling slightly panicky. The longer they stayed in one place, the quicker Rhea would catch up to them. She scanned the room, noticing another doorway that also had a locking mechanism on it. Perhaps it was the entrance to a staircase. Of course, the red head did not want to have to walk up over thirty flights of stairs. Lloyd was waltzing right over to the elevator, rubbing his hands together furiously. "What are you doing?" his sister whispered loudly. "Don't wake the guy up, okay?"

Lloyd gestured for Laurie to relax before turning back to the closed, metal doors. He inhaled deeply, waiting to hear the objections that his sister was about to give, but she would just have to understand. They were running out of time after all. Rolling up the long sleeves of his green sweatshirt past his elbows, the boy concentrated on trying to harness the few sparks he had managed to back in the warehouse. Once more, tiny blue bursts of electricity danced across his fingertips. Placing his right hands on the numbered key pad, Lloyd felt the device give a shudder before it shorted out. A small smile plastered itself on his face as the machine seemingly greeted him.

_Access Granted. Welcome._

"What are you doing?" Laurie protested, quickly covering the distance between herself and Lloyd. The doors to the elevator slid open, revealing the interior. Lloyd entered, leaning back against the mirror at the back of the small lift. Laurie followed suit, pushing the highest number she could find. Hopefully they would be able to get the ninja's attention before all of the Underworld broke loose. As the doors to the elevator closed, Laurie leaned back against the dark, wooden siding that snaked up the walls and tried not to think about what it would be like to be stuck in an elevator in the dark. "If that guard had woken up, we would have been in so much trouble," Laurie chastised, attempting to make conversation.

Lloyd just rolled his eyes. "Sis, we wouldn't have gotten in trouble. We're ninja. He would have understood." When he looked over at Laurie she just raised an eyebrow and gestured to herself before tugging on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. So they did not look like ninja right now. "So we don't look exactly like heroes right now, but he would have still understood." Besides, he was the green ninja. There was no way he would not have been able to talk his way out of trouble. As the elevator slowed, Lloyd noticed his sister tensing up. She rubbed her bare arms furiously as if she were cold and he just sighed. "Laurie, relax," the boy said, watching as the doors slid open. "Everything is going to be fine."

The girl nodded and led the way out of the elevator. A large, sprawling hallway greeted them, covered in faded grey tile. A small door sat down on the left side of the path and Laurie approached it cautiously. "Roof access," she breathed, pushing down on the door handle. It swung outwards, allowing the chilled night air to come flooding in to building. Inhaling deeply, the orange ninja climbed up the few stairs that trailed up to the roof, hearing Lloyd follow closely behind. The two closed the door behind them, Lloyd managing to freeze the outer handle of the door, giving them an extra line of defense.

"Well, what do we do now?" the boy asked, pulling down the sleeves of his sweatshirt. It was easier to see the stars from up here, away from the lights of the city. If there was not an entity bent on death and destruction currently traversing the streets, it would have been a nice night for just stargazing. "Laurie, what are we going to do now?" he said again, expecting an answer.

"We make a signal."

* * *

"They have to be around here somewhere," Jay whined, splashing through the shallow liquid that trailed down through the sewers. He kept his hazel gaze ahead to avoid looking down. Staring at the back of Cole's head was more glamorous than attempting to distinguish what they were currently walking through. "I mean, we found the Serpentine down in the sewers before. I don't know why they would change their location like that. Snakes like damp and dreary places. They were locked in the tombs so long, I couldn't think of a better place for them to hide out.

Zane was ahead of the others, his heightened vision allowing him to safely lead his friends through the tunnels. "I agree with you. The probability of us running in to the Serpentine is relatively high," he replied. Some indistinguishable form moved in front of the nindroid and he held up a single hand, gesturing for the group to stop. His other hand moved to his side, gripping a shuriken tightly. As the creature moved once more, the white ninja realized that it was only a rat. Breathing a sigh of relief, he relinquished the hold on his weapon and started walking once more.

"This is taking too long," Kai complained, his voice echoing off of the corrugated metal. Both hands were wrapped around the hilt of his sword, the grip unyielding. Skales and the others would pay dearly for taking Lloyd. He felt his eyebrows furrow in anger as his pace quickened. Nya held an arm out to her side, gesturing for him to stay behind her. The tunnel was not very wide and Kai was seething with impatience. "Can we move a little faster?" he called out, glancing from side to side. "Who knows what they're doing to Lloyd right now. We're taking _too long_."

Cole was growing more frustrated with Kai's impatience. "Would you like us to get caught or do you want us to actually help Lloyd?" he answered, trying his hardest to reserve all contempt. With a loud and huffy breath, he heard Kai concede defeat. The black ninja shook his head slightly, attempting to relieve the onset of what would surely be a headache later. Voices were growing louder and Cole felt as if he too were beginning to lose his patience. "Just stop talking, Kai, please," he whispered.

"It's not me," Kai rebutted, suddenly pushing past his sister and Jay. The two expressed their annoyance with a chorus of low chatter, but the red ninja ignored it, continuing onwards. He ducked under the scythe that Cole held out to stop his path and zipped right by Zane. Those snakes were around here somewhere. Not only had he heard them, but Cole had too. Kai took a left down a fork in the path, listening for the soft sound of voices. Ignoring the growing shouts from his brothers, the red ninja pushed on, positive that he was heading in the right direction.

After what felt like hours of sprinting through the darkness, Kai emerged in to a larger area where the ground was dry. Five heads turned to greet their unexpected guest and Kai immediately lunged for the Hypnobrai. Startled, the other snakes backed away as the Ninja of Fire held his blade against their leader's throat. "Where's Lloyd?" he asked between gritted teeth. Without even waiting for an answer, Kai threw a punch that hit the Hypnobrai square in the jaw. As the other generals came to their senses and began to surround him, the red ninja heard the others enter the room.

"Why does everyone think we have the boy?" Skales sighed, watching as the ninja spread out, taking up stances against his comrades. "I hate to disappoint you, ninja, but we don't have the young Garmadon." He turned his gaze upon Skalidor who seemed to be trying to convince them that they did indeed have Lloyd. No doubt playing off of the trick they had used on Laurie earlier. "Don't listen to him," the Hypnobrai hissed tiredly, much to the shock of the others. "We don't have Lloyd so maybe we can actually spend the remainder of our night in peace."

Kai lowered his sword, light brown eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'why does everyone think we have the boy'?" he inquired, taking a step backwards. This had to be a trick. The Serpentine had to be hiding him somewhere. Where else could Lloyd possibly be?

"You did not know that his sister came looking for him as well?" Skales asked honestly. "We don't have her either in case you were wondering," he finished bitterly, remembering the figure who had interrupted his perfect plan. "She was going on about a warehouse or something too. Maybe you should check there." The snake noticed Kai eyeing him warily and he sucked in a deep breath. "I'm only being helpful this once. If anything happens to the boy than my plans are ruined. I'd rather him be in our clutches than someone else's." With that final statement, he gestured for his fellow generals to follow him and they disappeared down another branching tunnel.

Stunned, Kai looked over at Jay who just shrugged. Cole approached Kai and he could tell that his brother was still trying to take in the information Skales had given him. "Stop running off like that," the black ninja sighed. "One of these days, Kai, when you go off by yourself something bad is going to happen." It was still odd that the Serpentine had been helpful. Maybe they were lying. "Do you think we should go check out this warehouse that Skales was talking about?"

"They saw Laurie," Kai breathed, sheathing the sword on his back. "She's out looking for Lloyd too, by herself." His head was spinning wildly, his heart fluttering against his ribs. "We _have to _go look where Laurie thought Lloyd would be. She obviously had more of a lead than we do." Out of the corner of his eye, Kai saw Nya walking towards what appeared to be a ladder. An ominous looking manhole cover decorated a corner of the ceiling. Not wasting another moment, the red ninja ran towards his sister, scaling the ladder quickly. With one hand, he lifted the manhole cover and haphazardly tossed it to the side. As it scrapped against the asphalt he shuddered slightly and the night air hit his clammy skin.

Where would this warehouse be though? He started visualizing the streets of Ninjago City, trying to pinpoint exactly where he could have seen a warehouse before. With the streets empty, Kai took a seat on a nearby curb and closed his eyes. Something else that Skales had said was bugging him. _I'd rather him be in our clutches than someone else's_. What had he meant by that? "Duh, someone else obviously has Lloyd," Kai whispered to himself, rubbing his temples. The only person that came to his mind was Rhea. That girl was nothing but trouble and he had known it since the beginning. Having Lloyd gave her the perfect opportunity to blackmail Laurie in to traveling by herself. A lump rose in Kai's throat the more he thought about everything. He needed to locate this warehouse and fast.

"What's that up there?" Nya inquired, squinting her eyes slightly. Kai got to his feet and went to join the others who were huddled in the middle of the street, all staring to where Nya was pointing. It was a strange phenomenon: green light was rising in to the night sky from a central location. That had to be one extreme light show. "I've never seen anything like that," Nya whispered, almost breathless. "What do you guys think it is?"

The light combined in to a larger sphere, spreading out wide before dissipating. After a few seconds of darkness, a steady stream of flames rose from the same location. What was going on? The fire wavered and flickered as if a strong wind was attempting to blow it out. Little by little, the flames grew higher, twirling in a spiral pattern before vanishing. The green lights started once more and Kai felt a wave of realization wash over him. "I think it's Lloyd," the red ninja stated. He had seen the boy conjure a light like that back on the Bounty when they had fought Garmadon's pirates. It was his own special "element". "We need to go see where it's coming from."

With a smile on his face, the Ninja of Fire tore down the street, heading towards the center of the city, still ignoring Cole's protests as the others followed.

* * *

**I wanted to address a review given by "anonymous" last week since I can't PM them. Thank you so much for your review and I'm honestly glad you enjoy this series that much. Having feedback like that was really amazing because it was everything I ever wanted someone else to take away from my stories: the feeling of truly reading something worth reading. So thank you very, very much for your review.**

**Thank you for reading and just sticking with me through everything, guys. Alright, I'm getting ready to head off to a nearby Convention so I can go cosplay. See you next Friday. Adios~**


	23. Questioned Loyalty

**Happy Friday! Another week, another chapter. Hope it's okay.**

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Chapter Twenty-Three: Questioned Loyalty

"I'm not sure if this is going to work," Lloyd finally said, lowering his arms down to his sides. The green light that had been casting a soft glow in to the night sky dissipated. Sighing, the blonde haired boy turned towards his sister who seemed to have a renewed sense of energy about her. "Look, Laurie, I know that you think the others will come to help us, but what makes you so sure that they're going to see this? Maybe it would just be better if we actually went to go get them instead." His emerald eyes gazed around the roof that they currently stood on, horrible memories seemingly flashing back to life. The strong sting of tears began to rise up, but Lloyd forced them back down. "We're kind of trapped up here if you think about it and I really don't want anything bad to happen. Not again…"

Laurie could see where her brother was coming from and felt a wave of iciness overwhelm her. "Lloyd, you get a little weird sometimes, like you're hiding something from me." She placed a gentle hand on the green ninja's shoulder and felt him tense up. "Ever since you healed the gash on your arm the other day I've just felt like there is something you aren't telling me. I let it go at first, but it's really been bugging me." Laurie walked around her sibling, now standing directly in front of him. "Lloyd, I promised that I would never go away or leave you. Can you please just answer some of the questions that I have, please?"

Shifting uncomfortably, the young boy conceded defeat. "Okay, Laurie, what do you want to know?" He knew that this was going to happen eventually. Lloyd was just hoping that he would not have to talk about it so soon. It had only been a few months since the incident on the Bounty with the pirates, but the emotional wounds were still fresh. Honestly, he should have talked about this with Laurie when she had first started asking the questions. It would have been easier to just get everything out there.

"Someone taught you how you could heal yourself, you said so yourself. Who taught you how to do that, Lloyd?" Laurie softened her voice. She did not want her brother to feel like she was attacking him. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. There was no telling what would happen tonight and she just wanted to make sure that Lloyd could tell her anything before she was no longer here. As much as Laurie was hoping that both she and Lloyd could best their adversaries, there was a part of her that felt as if tonight was the end; her end. "You know you can tell me absolutely anything, Lloyd. Nothing will ever change that."

"His name is Lucas," Lloyd answered plainly, crossing his arms over his chest. "He taught me how to that because he can control water." Feeling slightly better, the green ninja looked up at his sister, seeing a wide smile grow on her face. He knew exactly what she was thinking and could not help but laugh. "Yes, that's why I can use water. You finally got that question answered too." It felt good, talking about Lucas out loud. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

Of course there was more she wanted to know! "This Lucas guy, why didn't he stay with you guys to help you train more? I mean, the more the merrier, right? The more good guys there are, the easier it is to beat the bad guys. Why isn't he here?" She could see the shadow of disappointment cross Lloyd's features. Maybe she was being a little to overbearing with her thoughts and questions. "Sorry, I'm just a little curious is all. I really didn't mean to-" Her sentence was cut short as the door to the roof flew open. Laurie spun around, expecting to see the ninja arriving, but to her dismay a familiar, small figure stood in the doorway.

"I promise that I'll answer those questions of yours, but only if we get out of this, sis," Lloyd smirked.

She felt her face turn red with both anger and fright. Of course Lloyd would give her an ultimatum of that sort. Unfortunately, her curiosity was too great. The orange ninja was hoping that it would be enough to possibly overcome a prophecised death. "Don't worry, I'll hold you to that promise," Laurie said, watching as the young girl moved out of the doorway and on to the roof. Her long, blue hair was draped over her left shoulder and she brandished both of her small weapons. Within seconds, Rhea was charging towards the siblings, her teeth grit with determination. She had to stop them here and now. There would be no more second chances.

Narrowing her ice blue eyes and widening her defense stance, Laurie barely managed to catch Rhea's left wrist as she brought it down. The two struggled, Rhea attempting to push the karambit in her hand downwards. With every ounce of strength she could muster, the young girl quickly thrust her arm downwards, cutting Laurie on the side of her forearm. The orange ninja sucked in a deep breath, but refused to let go of Rhea. Blood began rising to the surface of the wound, softly trickling down towards the red head's elbow. Rhea let out a grunt of effort and swung her right arm across Laurie's abdomen.

As with their first battle, Laurie saw this coming. She relinquished her grip on Rhea's wrist and jumped backwards, watching as the steel tip of the curved blade caught the material of her dress skirt. Acting simply on instinct, the orange ninja knelt on her left knee and held her hands out in front of her. A rush of wind blew past Rhea, put she held her arms in front of her face and placed her right foot behind her, bracing herself against the attack. She could feel herself slowly sliding along the roof and rolled to her right. Quickly getting to her feet quickly, the young girl came face to face with Lloyd.

He threw a punch at Rhea which she quickly ducked under before kicking out in retaliation. Lloyd stumbled backwards a few steps before regaining his balance, but Rhea wasted no time in using this to her advantage. She leapt forward, catching the front of the green ninja's sweatshirt and pulling him towards her. The karambit in her right hand wavered near his throat, but Lloyd just narrowed his emerald eyes. "Go ahead," he challenged. "It wouldn't surprise me one bit if you killed me. I thought you'd changed, I really did, but I guess I was wrong." His blonde hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat and Rhea bit her lip.

She shook her head back and forth wildly, tears welling up in her eyes. The weapon near Lloyd's throat was shaking and she lowered it just as she had earlier in the warehouse. As quickly as she had grabbed Lloyd, she released him, promptly stowing her twin blades back up in her hair. With unsteady hands, Rhea slowly backed up, fumbling in her jacket pockets for the pen and pad of paper that lay within. Laurie noticed this and quickly made her way over to her brother. "Sorry I let her get so close to you," she breathed, examining the new gash in her dress. Nya would be so mad at her when she found out how much abuse the dress had gone through tonight. "I won't let it happen again."

"She _let_ me go though," Lloyd countered, somewhat surprised. "Just like she had back in the warehouse when I couldn't see you." He noticed Laurie making her way forward, but, against his better judgment, Lloyd grabbed on to her arm. "I-I don't know what she's doing right now, but I don't think she's going to hurt us." Laurie rolled her eyes and held out her right arm. The blood that had traveled down her arm had stopped flowing now and was dry. "Okay, well it doesn't look like she wants to hurt me," he answered, his eyes still wide. "Maybe if you just stay behind me than you'll be okay."

Rhea could hear the two siblings talking, but she was not paying them much attention right now. Her hand was flying back and forth across the paper, trying to transcribe every thought that was going through her head. When she glanced up to find Lloyd, the girl noticed him trying to push Laurie behind him. Taking in a deep breath, Rhea ran forward and watched Laurie try to shake Lloyd's hand off of her arm. The tension between herself and the orange ninja was thick, and Rhea never took her eyes off of Laurie as she handed her notepad to Lloyd.

Hastily, the green ninja took what Rhea offered him. _When the Overlord said that he used me to find you, I was surprised. I had forgotten that he could do stuff like that. I'm really sorry, Lloyd. I didn't mean for you to get dragged in to any of this. You've been nothing but nice to me ever since I came and I wanted to tell you how sorry I was. _He looked up in to Rhea's familiar brown eyes that were almost completely hidden underneath of her bangs. "So, you didn't know that he was coming tonight?" Lloyd questioned, handing the pad of paper back to Rhea. As she reclaimed ownership over her possession, the young girl shook her head. "Laurie, Rhea didn't know the Overlord was coming. She didn't know that he was going to use me to get to you."

"She's lying to you!" Laurie growled, pushing past Lloyd and tackling Rhea to the ground. Rhea felt the air leave her lungs as her back hit the roof, causing her to cough uncontrollably. Laurie pinned the girl's arms to the surface beneath her. "Rhea knew about the necklace, Lloyd. The Overlord said so back in the warehouse." She could feel Rhea struggling against her, but Laurie did not yield. "Don't let her keep on fooling you. There has been nothing but trouble since she showed up. That isn't going to just end now. It's that mark on her face, the Overlord was the one gave it to her! _That's_ how he managed to find you two; I don't think she just could have 'forgotten' that it was there."

Lloyd felt his face fall and he leaned forward, grabbing Laurie's shoulders. She protested against him, but the green ninja was unyielding. "Can I please just talk to her? She's not going to hurt me, Laurie." After minutes of nothing but silence mixed with the quick sound of Rhea's shallow breathing, Laurie finally stood and let the young girl get to her feet. Narrowing her eyes, Rhea charged forward, pulling one of the weapons from her hair, but Lloyd grabbed her around the waist. "No," he stated, keeping the two girls away from each other. "I want to _talk _with you, Rhea."

Inhaling, Rhea ceased her attack and readjusted her jacket. No matter what Lloyd had to say to her, she still had to kill Laurie tonight. The girl was scared of what the Overlord would do to her if she did not. _What do you want to talk about, Lloyd?_ she wrote quickly, holding the paper in between them. _There isn't too much to talk about and if _you_ want to get out of here you need to do it while you still have the chance. He'll be here soon._

"You're not lying to me, right? You really didn't know that the Overlord was coming, right?" He just wanted answers. As much as he felt like there was still a part of Rhea that was the girl he had become friends with, a cloud of doubt shadowed this thought. What if Laurie was right and she was just lying? "Please, Rhea, I just really need to know."

So he really did not believe her after all. With a loud sniff, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before replying to Lloyd's questions. _No, I'm not lying, but you probably won't believe that either. _She was feeling angry and slightly betrayed, but that was probably how the others were feeling right now too. _Yeah, he managed to find me because he did give me my scar. It kind of bonds us, but maybe you don't even believe that. If you want to live, I suggest you leave now. _She threw the pen in her hand to the ground and pushed the paper roughly in to Lloyd's hands.

Laurie watched as her brother took the time to read what the young girl had written, but while she was distracted, Rhea lunged towards her. The weapon in her hand buried its way in to her side and the orange ninja cried out, stumbling backwards and pulling the blade from her side. It was coated in dark, sticky blood and she suddenly remembered her dream from the other night: just her and Rhea fighting while Lloyd was on the outside. Gritting her teeth together, Laurie threw the blade behind her, hoping that it had fallen off of the side of the building and far away from Rhea.

The pain radiating from her newly acquired wound was somewhat nauseating, but Laurie pushed forward. Rhea gave a small smirk and gripped her remaining weapon, but was knocked to the ground almost instantly. She looked up to see Lloyd, his eyes blazing with newly found hatred. "You think I don't believe you? You think that I don't trust you? How do you expect me to trust anything you say or do when you're constantly trying to kill my sister?" He barely recognized his own voice as he and Rhea struggled against one another.

Laurie knelt down on the ground, trying to apply pressure to her bleeding gash with her left hand. She was anticipating the cold she had felt in her dream to consume her at any second, but all she could feel was the warmth of the blood seeping in to the material of her red dress, the colors blending together. The stars that had once been gleaming in the sky seemed to dull completely, almost acknowledging that an end was approaching. It was so clear up here though, high above the city lights and bustle. Why would the stars just disappear? There was the sound of Lloyd yelling and Laurie returned her attention to the two children. They were locked in a tussle and Rhea flipped the green ninja over her shoulder. He was dangerously close to the edge of the roof and, to Laurie's utter disbelief and horror, Lloyd could not keep his balance.

"Lloyd, no!" She felt her breath catch in her throat as Lloyd started to fall off of the roof.

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**Lucas belongs to Packerfan95. I've kind of been hinting about him for a while now, but there's still more story to go so we'll see what happens. :)**

**Hope this chapter was okay. I may be updating a little late next week because I'm going on a mini vacation with my family. It'll still be out on Friday, but it may be out in the middle of the day or something. I'll see what I can do. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week. :3**


	24. Everything

**I had a lot of fun writing this. I'm not sure if it's because I just thought it was fun, or if it was because this chapter was written entirely while I stayed in a town that was founded back in 1565. You be the judge. Please enjoy.**

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Chapter Twenty-Four: Everything

He felt weightless, unable to do anything as he felt the soles of his feet leave the ground. Every second Lloyd started falling backwards felt like it stretched out for an eternity. Laurie looked absolutely terrified, her face extremely pale and Rhea turned around long enough to catch a glimpse of what she had done. Her brown eyes widened indefinitely and she took a lunge forward, trying to grab on to one of Lloyd's arms. It was to no avail though. The boy knew there was no way to stop the fall.

_Crack._

A sharp pain ran through the back of the green ninja's head and he slowly opened his emerald green eyes to see that his journey had halted. Glancing slightly behind him, Lloyd could still see the buildings of Ninjago City sprawled out as far as the eye could see. Disoriented, he looked down to see the ground still far below him. Without much effort, Lloyd managed to get back on his feet yet again, shaking slightly as he realized he was back on solid ground. What had stopped him? There was absolutely nothing on the side of the rooftop.

"Lloyd, are you alright?" It was Laurie, running towards him as fast as she possibly could. He could tell she was in pain. There was a slight hitch in her step and she gripped her right side painfully. Glaring daggers at Rhea, she made her way over to her brother and knelt down. "You're okay, right?" she questioned, her eyes wavering slightly. He only nodded in reply, still confused about what had exactly happened. Unsteadily getting to her feet, Laurie pulled him into an embrace. He stiffened at her touch, immediately noticing the wound on her side. Before he could say anything, a loud roar ripped through the silence.

All three of them turned their attention towards the area where the sound had come from. Something was slowly separating itself from the dark, night sky. It was large and approaching rather quickly. Lloyd felt a smile begin to form on his face. He knew exactly what was coming and, much to his relief, it was going to help. "Hey, boy!" the green ninja shouted, his grin only widening. As the four-headed dragon came closer, Lloyd could gradually the silhouettes of the ninja growing. "You were right, Laurie. Your plan worked after all."

There was no possible way that this was actually happening. "A dragon?" she asked, slightly confused. Since when did they own a dragon? Dragons just did not exist. She had always refused to believe the stories her mother use to tell her. Only a few dragons still inhabited the land according to her. Well, this was the oddest dragon she could have ever imagined. It had four heads, three of them similar in appearance to one another, but the fourth was visibly different. Streaks of either red, brown, blue, or yellow adorned their faces. The features that caught the orange ninja's eye were definitely the teeth. If Lloyd had not seemed so excited by the creature's sudden manifestation, Laurie would have sworn that it was going to kill them.

Cole pulled back on the reigns slightly, feeling the dragon fight him. "Slow down, boy," the black ninja chastised, pulling back on the reins once more. "You're excited to see Lloyd, I get it, but let's not crash, alright?" The creature reluctantly slowed its descent speed, letting out several loud groans. Both large wings flapped slowly, pounding against the slightly chilled air. The rooftop of the tower grew closer and Cole pulled the reins harder. "Easy now. Let's make this a smooth landing."

"Get out of the way!" Jay yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify the warning. Laurie threw an arm around Lloyd's shoulders and the two backed up, the orange ninja keeping her gaze glued to Rhea. The young girl backed up as well, her eyes wide with both fear and amazement. That animal was so beautiful and yet so powerful. All of the ninja would be down in a matter of seconds and then it was all over for her. She secretly hoped that they would just finish her quickly. It would be much better than what her father would probably do to her for failing.

"Don't walk too far back," Laurie warned, though she could not see the edge of the roof. "I thought you were going to fall back there, Lloyd. What stopped you?"

Solely focused on his friends, the green ninja gave a small shrug. "I-I'm really not sure," he confessed, deciding that it was best to stop where they were. There was a large and open space for the dragon to land in front of them. "It was almost like there was a wall behind me, but there wasn't anything there." The others were almost here, Cole carefully attempting to navigate the landing. A small grunt escaped Rocky's mouth, followed by garbled groans from the other three dragons. "Something's, wrong," Lloyd stated plainly.

Laurie looked up, noticing something rather strange. As the dragon attempted to drop on to the fading tar of the roof, it seemed as if the air directly in front of it rippled. "You can do it, boy" she heard Kai call out, his words of encouragement wavering on the edge of anger. "They're right there. What's up with you?" She could feel the air around her almost quivering with unwanted energy. Again and again the dragon tried to land, but seemed to be stopped by something that was not there.

"You've got to be kidding me," the orange ninja breathed, feeling a cold chill run up her spine. She released Lloyd and rushed across the open space, quickly closing the distance between herself and the winged beast. There was a foot separating them and, inhaling deeply and praying that her theory was wrong, Laurie reached out to try and touch the stark white scales on one of the dragon's heads. Just as she had expected, when she was only inches from the creature's snout, her hand hit something solid. The air wavered and Laurie's heart dropped. "There's some kind of force field around us," she observed, banging on the invisible object in front of her.

It was reminiscent of the dream she had the previous night. She turned her head towards Lloyd who was also leaning out to touch the air in front of him. He was here with her though, very much unlike her dream. Shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts, the orange ninja turned back towards her friends. "You can't get in," she shouted, feeling a surge of adrenaline course through her veins. The pain that had been steadily growing her side subsided for the moment. "We're stuck in here."

"Try again," Kai urged, leaning around Nya to see what was happening. Laurie was so close. He could see the bottom of her dress was in tatters, cut and ripped. A section of the material was darker towards the side of her abdomen, but she did not seem to take much notice of it. "Come on, Cole, try to get in. They need our help!"

The Ninja of Earth let out a long and loud sigh. "You know as well as I do that it's not going to work, Kai." He turned his gaze on his brother who just crossed his arms over his chest. Well there was no reason to act like that; there was nothing they could really do at this point in time. "Laurie, Lloyd, hang tight, okay? We're going to back to the apartment to see if Sensei can help at all." Laurie nodded in response and gave a small wave just as something slammed behind her.

Growling, the dragon launched several attacks towards the roof, all of which were deflected by the barrier. Laurie flinched involuntarily; backing away from her brother's pet and bumping into Lloyd. "Yeah, I think I know how this force field was made now," the green ninja said, turning Laurie around to face in the same direction he was. She was still slightly on edge from her scare with the dragon and what was in front of them did not calm her nerves.

There stood the Overlord and his faithful stone companion. The slamming sound that had caught everyone's attention had been the sound of the roof access door forcefully shutting. From what Laurie could discern, the metal doorknob had been crushed and deformed, making it almost impossible to try and open the door again. The most obvious difference that Laurie could see involved the Overlord himself. He seemed significantly smaller and thinner, the thick black shadows that made up his form were beginning to lighten.

"These individuals were never part of the fight. There is nothing worse than uninvited guests," the Overlord hissed. His voice sounded strained and faint. "Rhea, why is the girl still alive? Why has this been so difficult for you?" He watched as the young girl swallowed hard and her facial features twisted as if she were prepared to argue. "I have wasted much of my energy forming this barrier. It will not last forever and I fully expect this to be over within the hour." Rhea nodded her head solemnly and retrieved her remaining weapon from her hair, gripping it tightly.

The ninja looked down upon the scene, utterly confused. "Well, I suppose that these are the individuals that took Lloyd and Rhea," Zane stated plainly, his dark blue eyes focused on the shadowy figure. With a deafening roar, the dragon charged forward, hitting the invisible barrier once more. "We must head back to get Sensei as we planned. I do believe he could aid us."

"We can't just leave them here," Nya replied, tightening her grip on Jay's shoulders. "They needed help, that's why they were signaling." She could feel a strong gust of wind blow her black, chin-length hair around and she shivered. "I know there's really nothing we can do right now, but I just don't feel right leaving them here."

Rhea inhaled deeply and leapt forward, taking Laurie by surprise. Her foot made contact with her stomach just as the orange ninja was attempting to block. Laurie stumbled backwards, the pain in her side suddenly flooding back. The adrenaline that had been quelling the pain had almost completely vanished now. Gritting her teeth against it, Laurie regained her balance and threw a punch that Rhea managed to dodge. As the young girl retaliated, the orange ninja ducked underneath of a roundhouse kick and conjured up a small whisper of wind. It barely even managed to move her own hair. She needed to calm down and just focus.

The green ninja gazed on and narrowed his eyes. With renewed anger, he clapped his palms together and quickly separated them. A ball of green energy formed in his grasp and he threw it at Rhea. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and suddenly dove to her left, somersaulting along the tarred roof before landing in a crouch. With wide eyes, Laurie watched as the attack approached and hit her square in the chest. Every nerve in her body was burning and tingling before her back hit the invisible barrier. She crumpled to the ground, disoriented and breathing heavily.

"Laurie!" Kai and Lloyd shouted simultaneously. The young boy rushed forward, his face slightly pale. Rhea jumped into his path, shoving him backwards. Her expression was stoic, but her dark brown eyes betrayed her, showing a hint of concern. She did not need to write her thoughts down on paper; the green ninja could discern what she was attempting to tell him. _Stay away. _There was no way, of course, that he was just going to allow his sister to be killed, especially since it was his fault that she was so broken now anyways. "Let me by, Rhea," he yelled, beginning to push past her. Biting her lip and closing her eyes, the young girl took the handle of her weapon and clubbed Lloyd in the back of the head.

She watched him fall to his knees, her ice blue eyes burning. The adrenaline was beginning to return and Laurie propped herself up on her elbows, the textured surface of the roof scrapping up her skin. This should not have been happening. Lloyd was not part of this feud. "Laurie, are you alright?" Kai called out. Slowly, the teenager turned to see her friends still hovering close by on the dragon. She gave a small nod in acknowledgment. Honestly, she was not alright. Physically she was injured and mentally, Laurie was just completely broken. The worried looks on everyone's' faces were clear.

Kai could tell she was lying. Laurie had always been a terrible liar. "Is Lloyd okay?" he questioned now. The red head looked back towards her brother who was now getting up on one knee. It looked as if the blow had only disoriented him. Once more, she only nodded, not able to find any words at this point in time. How could she? Everything that was happening was just unexplainable. "You two have to hang on," the Ninja of Fire continued. "You have to protect Lloyd until we can get in there." Her freckled face visibly fell as she pushed herself on to her knees. "You can use your Spinjitzu, Laurie. You can protect him!"

She tensed up at the word; Spinjitzu, a form of martial arts that she could not seem to fully accomplish. Cole and Jay had told her that she had killed Kai in a vortex previously, a memory that still eluded her. Laurie could only remember using it once in the desert on a Fangpyre and once outside of Dareth's dojo after Zane had been trying to teach her how to control her emotions. Now Kai wanted her to use that to protect Lloyd, to protect herself. "I-I don't know about this, Kai," she hesitated, looking extremely apprehensive. "What if something bad happens?" There was an overwhelming sense of déjà vu consuming her.

The red ninja gave her a small smile and just shook his head. "You've been training so hard. You're not the girl that came to us a few months ago. You've changed so much, as a person and as a ninja." He could feel the slight dusting of blush tinge his cheeks. _This_ was the conversation that should have occurred at the ball. "There's no doubt in my mind that you _can_ do this. Everything that's happened has been to prepare you for this moment. I believe in you, Laurie."

Her breath caught and there was a pressure in her head. The orange ninja placed a single hand on her forehead and used the other to keep herself from hitting the ground once more, squeezing her eyes shut. It was painful, like a fire had been lit inside of her brain, spreading throughout the entirety of her skull. This conversation, it had happened before. Well, not exactly word for word, she remembered that. Her eyes snapped open, focusing on the ground. Wait, she _remembered _that; talking with Kai out in front of the dojo before she tried to perform Spinjitzu. She had been as nervous then as she was now.

More images started to flash before her, almost as if they were selections from a movie reel. Sitting with Kai outside of Ouroboros as they were searching for Lloyd. Finding Fangtom out in the desert with his staff. The vortex that Kai had dove into just to save her. A kiss. Belinda breaking into the apartment and threatening to kill Kai. "Belinda," Laurie breathed, feeling the pressure begin to subside. "She lied. I never gave up my memories to save myself. I did it to save Kai." A warmth began to spread through her body and she steadily got to her feet. Kai believed in her; Kai _loved_ her as much as she loved him.

And Laurie remembered absolutely everything.

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**Okay, well I am so pumped to just write and write now so yay!**

**Thanks for reading and everything. I would be nowhere without you guys. See you next Friday. :3**


	25. Final Offer

**Happy Friday! This chapter was a little difficult for me to write. Really bad writer's block up until the end. :/**

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Chapter Twenty-Five: Final Offer

Rhea watched as the red head stood up, catching her attention and distracting her from the boy down in front of her. Lloyd shakily got to his feet and kicked out, looking on as his friend stumbled backwards, barely able to keep her balance. He placed a hand on the back of his head before bringing it around to inspect it. There appeared to be no blood from his injury, but the impact had not left him completely unscathed. A large knot was beginning to form underneath of Lloyd's blonde hair and he felt extremely lightheaded. The scene in front of him wavered for a moment as he slowly backed up.

Laurie caught her brother underneath of his arms as he began to fall. "Are you okay, Lloyd?" Of course she could tell that he was not feeling the best right now. He seemed a little dazed and off balance, but hopefully that was all that was wrong. She was now fully prepared to fight for his life, even if it meant giving up her own. Slowly, she looked behind her, giving her friends a wary glance. Kai nodded slightly, fearing for the worst. Laurie had just bounced back from something that had caused her to fall and now Lloyd was looking a little worse for wear.

"I'm fine, sis," the green ninja replied, standing up and bearing all of his weight. "I'm just a little dizzy, that's all." He could see Rhea brushing herself off and regaining her composure. The stone man narrowed his eyes and quickly approached, pushing the young girl out of the way. Lloyd clapped his hands together before thrusting them into the tarred roof. Everything began to quiver and quake, Laurie grabbing on to her brother's shoulders to stay upright. This halted General Kozu's advance for a moment as he took a knee, waiting for the child's attack to cease.

Slowly, everything began to calm down. Laurie opened her eyes, which she had not realized she had closed, only to notice that the situation had not improved. Her brother was kneeling on the ground, his arms crossed over his chest. Without a moment's hesitation, the orange ninja helped Lloyd up and managed to push him behind her. "I wouldn't do that again if I were you," she stated plainly. "We wouldn't want the building to come down with us on top of it, would we?"

General Kozu stood, brandishing his twin butterfly swords in two hands. The young girl he had previously shoved aside was now pulling back on one of his lower arms. He gave a quick chuckle and thrust his elbow backwards into Rhea's chest. She gave a strangled cry, but continued to hold on, her fingers scrabbling against his armored limb. "Release me," he commanded, bringing his arm forward before immediately thrusting it backwards. The young girl released him, tumbling across the roof before stopping in front of the Overlord. She gritted her teeth, getting to her feet as fast as she could before rushing back towards him, her remaining weapon gripped tight in her hand.

The Overlord beat Rhea to her target.

He swiftly materialized in front of his second in command, barely able to keep his remaining form intact. "You are a fool," he hissed, halting Kozu in his tracks. "_She_ must be the one to finish this. I have informed you of this before. The balance must be altered by her alone." His wavering voice was the only factor that caused Kozu to carefully listen. "I have been waiting for Rhea for a while. She's a vessel and I've been preparing her for it since I found her." Pure anger radiated from the Overlord's form, tainting the air. "Stand down now."

With a deep breath, the stone man gave a slight bow. "As you wish, master," he glared, stepping aside. His fluorescent green eyes locked with Rhea's dark brown ones for a brief second, allowing a surge of animosity to travel between them. The young girl felt her muscles tense up. Kozu was _always_ trying to push her out of the way. She knew that for the longest time now. If the Overlord had not stopped him back when she first landed on that island, she would have died just like her parents. Rhea felt like she had so much to prove for being spared and now was the time.

"Laurie, I can help you with this," Lloyd protested, becoming annoyed. His sister was being childish, trying to prevent him from helping her. "I'm fine, really." She inhaled deeply and just charged forward, meeting Rhea halfway across the roof. "Laurie, wait!" Lloyd yelled, running forward. The injury to the back of his head throbbed and he, reluctantly, dropped to a knee as a wave of nausea overwhelmed him. A loud cough ripped through Lloyd's throat and he brought a sleeved arm up to his mouth, attempting to stifle the sound. His mouth felt dry and the green ninja swallowed hard as he got back on his feet.

She could hear him struggling behind her and Laurie closed her eyes. This had to be done to protect him. This had to be done to protect her friends; to protect all of _Ninjago_. "I'm sorry, Lloyd," she called back, opening her ice blue eyes and focusing on the girl that stood before her. "I love you. I love _all_ of you and that's why I have to do this." The wind started to pick up slightly, her red hair blowing around her neck. "I'm going to fight, not because I have to, but because it's the right thing to do. I want to protect you and I hope that in the future you can save Ninjago from a dark fate." Rhea's eyes widened and she shifted uncomfortably under Laurie's gaze. "Lloyd, this is my fate," Laurie continued, briefly turning to face her brother. "I accept it now."

A strong rush of wind enveloped Laurie and she inhaled deeply, taken aback by the sheer force. There was a light, it started off soft and seemed to originate from absolutely nowhere. She brought her arm up to shield her eyes, but found that the light was emanating from her. The intensity heightened as the seconds ticked on. Laurie felt as if this should have scared her, but it did not. In fact, she felt completely relaxed and confident. It was almost as if there was a part of her that had been missing, but was now replaced. Everything she had worked for was all for this: a phenomenon that she had only read about a handful of times in her mother's many books.

Unlocking one's true potential.

Lloyd stumbled forward, barely making it to his sister's glowing form before resting yet again. The wind picked up, swirling around both Laurie and Lloyd, obscuring them from sight. Cole pulled back on the reigns of the dragon as it roared loudly. "I don't like the looks of that," he complained, fighting for control of the visibly upset reptile. "She could kill Lloyd, just like she killed…" but his voice trailed and he cleared his throat.

"You're wrong," Kai rebutted, feeling completely confident. He saw what had happened, so the others should have seen it as well. That orange glow, the way Laurie's body had seemed almost translucent against the black tar of the roof. "She's reached her true potential. I don't think she could ever have more control over her element than she could right now." The knot in the red ninja's stomach tightened, but he tried to ignore it. He felt as if something bad was going to happen, but he could not place his finger on what it was. "They're going to be fine."

What in Ninjago was she doing? Rhea stared as a dusty looking cloud hid her target from her. That was not the problem, she could jump in after Laurie at any time, but she could have sworn that Laurie had been _glowing_. People did not just _glow_. "What are you waiting for?" the Overlord shouted. "Go in there and finish the job!" With a hard swallow, the young girl pushed her right shoulder towards the wind, bracing herself against it. It took great effort, slowly inching her way towards the center of the sporadic storm without losing her footing.

She fell forward, feeling the rough surface of the roof scratch up her right cheek and some of her forehead. Disoriented, Rhea struggled to get to her feet, feeling completely spent from the journey into the twister. Laurie had her eyes closed, a bright glow still coming from her body. Cautiously taking a step forward, the young girl readied her weapon. The orange ninja's eyes snapped open, her normally blue eyes were a bright yellow which sent a chill down Rhea's spine. With a small wave of Laurie's hand, Rhea felt a harsh blast of wind knock her off of her feet. Well this was going to be fun.

"Rhea, stop." She lifted her head to see Lloyd standing behind his sister. "I know I keep saying this, but you really don't have to do this." A stinging sensation erupted from the dozens of superficial scratches that adorned her tanned skin and Rhea rubbed them furiously with her left hand as she got to her feet. "We can wait until the force field disappears and then you can come back with us. You don't have to go back with that thing. Rhea, you can come stay with us and be part of a family."

It hurt so much. There was the stinging sensation behind her eyes again. She could not simply go back with them, even though she truly wanted to. There was so much Rhea regretted now and she could not simply forget what she had done. It would haunt her for the rest of her life. She shook her head back and forth, trying to clear the green ninja's proposition from her mind. _You don't understand, _she thought miserably. _I owe my father this. He saved my life and I just have to do this. _She wished she could just tell Lloyd, but her words caught in her throat and she refused to let them escape. _I'm so sorry_.

The harsh light that had been so omnipresent for the past few minutes was slowly fading. Rhea leapt forward, but was stopped once more by a gust of air. She just had to be patient. Laurie could not keep this up forever. Minutes passed by and Lloyd stood firmly behind his sister, a small ball of fire dancing in his right palm. He seemed reluctant to do anything with it and quickly snuffed it out. The light grew dimmer, the wind encasing the three children slowly dying. Laurie closed her eyes and then fell backwards.

Lloyd struggled to hold up his sister, her dead weight almost unbearable. With a lot of effort, the green ninja lowered both himself and Laurie down. He knelt beside her, looking for any sign of life. Her chest rose and fell softly, causing Lloyd to relax. So she was not dead. No, she had just used up her reserves of energy doing what she had just done. It reminded him of the day Kai had saved him from being trapped inside of the collapsing Fire Temple. "Come on, Laurie, wake up," he pleaded, attempting to drag her towards his friends. Maybe the force field was gone now. Maybe they could all get out of here now.

This was the perfect opportunity now. Rhea tightened her grip on her weapon, feeling the knuckles in her right hand crack under the pressure. It was now or never. So it had to be now. As the young girl walked forward, she found her mind swimming with doubts. What if she really _did not_ have to do this? What if the ninja could actually accept her into their home after this ordeal? Maybe Lloyd was right after all. This could be a second chance to have a family, something she so desperately wanted for so long. She brought her focus back to reality, her eyes glued to Laurie's unconscious form. Whether she was shaking from fear or anticipation, she was not sure, but Rhea released her weapon and dropped to the ground with a clatter.

He knew it. General Kozu always knew that the pipsqueak never really had it in her. The Overlord was foolish for choosing her as his vessel for his return to Ninjago. Tipping the balance of good and evil was a farce and he knew it. Shrugging his shoulders forward, the stone man turned away from his master and stalked away, clutching his twin weapons tightly.

"Rhea?" Lloyd looked up to see his friend kneeling on the ground beside his sister. He was extremely weary at first, ready to strike at a moment's notice if she tried to touch Laurie. There was a small sniff that tore through the silence and Rhea locked eyes with the green ninja. _Are you okay?_ She had mouthed the words so carefully that Lloyd was almost too scared to answer. "I'm fine," he replied, still a little on edge. What if this was some kind of trick? _Is Laurie okay?_ That question really did take Lloyd by surprise. He just nodded slowly, feeling a wave of relief overwhelm him. "Yeah, she's just unconscious."

There was a dark shadow that fell upon the trio. A chorus of shouts was suddenly coming from nowhere. Lloyd glanced over his right shoulder and tensed up. There was the stone man, standing directly behind him with both weapons brandished and ready to strike. He now recognized the shouts as belonging to his friends. "When you want something done right, you have to do it yourself," General Kozu growled, his eyes narrowed and focused on Rhea. "You could not do it, so I will. Not only her, but him as well."

She groaned, opening her eyes slowly to see two strips of gleaming metal staring at Lloyd. The Overlord's companion gave a loud yell and thrust his weapons down. Laurie barely had time to register what was actually happening. She felt her eyes widen and tried to get to her feet, but her body disobeyed her. It was heavy and felt like lead. What could she do to help him?

"No, Lloyd, look out!"

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**Okay, this chapter turned out a lot different than I thought it would, be I hope that's a good thing. I thought it was a good thing. Thank you for reading. See you next week. :)**


	26. Death's Embrace

**Happy Friday. Well, this story isn't called "Dying Winds" just because it sounds cool. Just a warning...there is blood. So yeah.**

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Chapter Twenty-Six: Death's Embrace

The sound was so foreign and it took a little while for Laurie to figure out exactly where it came from. It all happened so quickly though. Still feeling immobile, the orange ninja gazed back to see Rhea jump forward, putting herself in between Lloyd and his assailant. There was a loud cry that escaped her lips as a flood of red burst forward. Just as fast as the young girl had taken action, everything went silent and still. It was then that Laurie fully grasped what had just occurred. Rhea had just saved her brother's life and it had been Rhea who had shouted.

Lloyd watched with emerald green eyes as the tips of both swords pierced through his friend's back. The horrible, squishing sound that accompanied the action was something that sent a shiver down the green ninja's spine. She had dove in front of him and got in the way. With a growl, the stone man swiftly pulled both of his weapons from Rhea's body and she fell to the ground, motionless. "R-Rhea?" the green ninja asked, his voice shaking. She gave a rattling cough, but stayed down, facing away from the boy. Blood was slowly beginning to pool around her body, soaking her lavender jacket and staining her light blue hair. There was a realization that enveloped him. "Wait, that was you," he suddenly stated urgently, resting his hands on the young girl and managing to flip her on to her back. The glaring gashes from swords stared back at him. "Y-You were the one that yelled. You _said something_."

Her vision was swimming, but she was not sure if it was from tears or a side effect from the blood her body was steadily losing. Yes, she had said something. She could not stop the words once they were built up. Every thought and every emotion at that point in time had been focused solely on Lloyd and his safety. Her father had promised that he would not be killed and she felt like that promise needed to be kept. Rhea blinked slowly and stared up at the dark, night sky. She had to be dead by now. Her curse would have already killed her as soon as she opened her mouth. If she was dead though, then why was there so much pain? "Lloyd?" Rhea asked, her voice small and shaky. The sound of her own voice was unnerving, but she pushed that do the back of her mind. "Why are you here? Are you dead too?"

"No, I'm not dead," the green ninja replied, kneeling beside her and resting a hand on her left, upper arm. He could feel her shaking under his touch and the blood from her wounds was slowly pooling around his knees. The warm, sticky liquid was unsettling and he tried to take his mind off of it. "Y-you're not dead either though. Just, breathe and stay strong, okay?" His mind was reeling, trying to figure out how to help his friend. Rhea had been trying to protect him this entire time and now he felt obligated to return the favor. "I'm going to try something, okay? J-just give me a second." He glanced up for a moment and saw the stone man coming at him once again. With a natural reflex, the green ninja held out his left palm and was prepared to shoot any number of elements at this villain.

She felt a sudden surge of adrenaline course through her veins and, within seconds, Laurie was on her feet. This guy had already tried to attack Lloyd once and he was _not_ going to try it again. Laurie crossed her arms in front of her and quickly swept them to the sides. A strong blast of wind rushed forward, pushing Kozu backwards enough for his twin swords to strike the roof with a sickening thud. Lloyd looked backwards, his blonde hair extremely disheveled. "I'm gonna try and heal her, Laurie," he yelled. "Whatever you do, just be careful, okay?" The orange ninja nodded and gingerly stepped around Rhea's body. She just had to buy them time. There was no way she was making it out of here alive anyways. Her new found energy would only last for so long.

That foolish girl! She had always been a thorn in his side and now was no different. General Kozu stood once more, his eyes drifting lazily over the dark red blood that now coated his otherwise gleaming swords. The boy would have been dead already and then the teenager would not have been far behind. Now _she_ was the one that was down for the count. _She _was the one that had thrown yet another wrench into his plan. Kozu had always known that there would be one mission his master sent Rhea on that would just be too much for her. He never would have thought that it would have been this one. The red head charged at him and he swiped a sword out in the area between them. She ducked under it, never losing her momentum, and landed a hard kick in his abdomen.

It felt like literally kicking a boulder. A shock went through Laurie's leg and she held back a wince that was scrambling to escape her tight throat. Replacing the weight down on her limb, the orange ninja limped slightly before focusing more on her element. That was the only way she was going to be able to fight this thing. Without a weapon, she did not have much of a chance. Every nerve in her body was on edge as she concentrated on the slight tickle of a breeze that was forming around her. It grew more powerful and Laurie just imagined herself doing what she had seen her friends do so often before.

Everything was a blur as she spun, feeling the energy of the wind around her embracing every fiber of her being. It was all so balanced and calming, like the world had just stopped, leaving Laurie alone with her thoughts. There was someone standing just outside of her isolated twister though and she was not prepared to just let him get away. She took in a deep breath, only now realizing how fast she was actually spinning. "Spinning," she whispered to herself, feeling a smile creep up onto her face. "I-I'm doing Spinjitzu." This was so different from the other times Laurie clearly remembered trying to perform the martial art. She felt completely in control and calm.

He gazed on, his eyes wide and mouth curled into a smirk. So she was not about to give up yet? That was fine with him. It was always more enjoyable taking someone down while they were retaliating. The girl's form was completely hidden behind the tornado she had somehow created. Well if he could not see her, than she should have a hard time seeing him as well. With a snicker, General Kozu swiped a blood coated sword towards the teenager, but took a step backwards when he watched her jump over the attack. She landed a hard, roundhouse kick to his head which took him completely by surprise. The helmet that adorned his skull shook violently and Kozu grimaced.

Out of the corner of Lloyd's eye, he could see his sister engaging the stone man in battle, but he was not solely focused on that. He was unzipping the front of his green sweatshirt with trembling fingers, watching as the metal teeth slowly separated from each other. Shrugging out of it, the young boy took one of the sleeves and gripped it tightly, closing his eyes and just focusing. Water slowly began to ooze onto the thick, cotton material, soaking it through within seconds. "Just, hold on, Rhea," the green ninja breathed, pressing the sleeve down onto the wound that was closest to him. He tried to keep his mind focused on the person before him, visualizing her injury closing up. Instead, Lloyd was hit with memories of someone else, slowly dying up here on the exact same roof. He felt a single tear slip down his cheek as he opened his eyes.

It was not working.

Blood, dark and thick had managed to coat the sleeve of the sweatshirt, turning it a muddy color. Her vision was starting to go in and out of focus, all of her energy straining to try and focus on Lloyd. He seemed absolutely distraught, grabbing the other sleeve of his sweatshirt and pressing it against the wound that lay on the left side of Rhea's chest. A sudden thought crossed the young girl's mind. She should have already been dead, sent into the embrace of eternal darkness as soon as she opened her mouth. Yet here she lay, in pain. It was in that moment, between the faint sound of Laurie grunting as she continued to fend off Kozu and Lloyd's incoherent mumbling, that Rhea realized something. She had not been cursed at all. Her caretaker must have lied to her.

It all seemed so clear now. There was no better way to keep a scared girl silent than to tell her she would perish if she spoke. With everything that was happening, the young girl could not help herself. A small tear pooled in her right eye before slowly trickling downwards. It trailed down Rhea's face, feeling hot against her icy skin. She was beginning to notice how cold she actually felt. The only warmth that felt comforting emanated from the blood that was covering her chest and abdomen. She almost wished that Lloyd would give her the sweatshirt so she could wrap herself in it. "Lloyd," Rhea started, fumbling to grab one of his wrists.

The green ninja flinched slightly as Rhea wrapped her hands around his right wrist. Her grip was feeble and weak, every finger quickly slipping off of his skin, leaving faint crimson streaks of blood. "Give me a little more time, Rhea," Lloyd managed to say, his eyes still focused on the sweatshirt. This had to work, it just had to! If he could not use this healing ability when people actually needed it, then what was it good for? "I-I'm trying, I really am."

"There's nothing you can do." A small smile crossed Rhea's face and she felt her eyelids drop further. Despite how scared she was and how much she wanted Lloyd to be able to do whatever it is he was trying to do, Rhea knew deep down that there was an impossibility of her making it out alive. With enough assassinations under her belt, the young girl knew what a lethal wound was. Right now, she had two of them. "Thank you though. I really appreciate it." There was something within her that suddenly snapped, like an invisible cord. A rough cough ripped through Rhea's chest, burning her lungs and throat. The star-shaped mark next to her eye felt as if it were on fire.

Laurie ducked underneath of a punch, but was caught by another one of Kozu's hands. He lifted her off of the ground and the orange ninja struggled against him, kicking her legs wildly. "This ends now," the man laughed, holding the blade of a single sword against the side of Laurie's neck. The cold steel pushed in a little further and small lines of blood began to slowly ooze and trickle down her neck. She gave him a hard glare and attempted to focus. Anything she could muster would be better than dying at the hands of this stone jerk. Heart pounding erratically against her ribs, Laurie tried to conjure something that could help her in this situation.

"Imbecile," rang a cold voice. The Overlord hovered nearby, his shadowy form flickering in and out of existence. Underneath it all, Laurie could see the constant shape of a purple orb. "This was not up to you. _Rhea _was supposed to be the one to accomplish this." He stopped, seemingly inhaling before continuing on. "Our connection has broken and it is because of _your_ interference. I have no more energy left. We must retreat immediately." Laurie could sense his energy dissipating, the malevolence beginning to vanish.

There was the sword again, pressing deeper into her neck. Laurie felt an involuntary gasp escape her lips as every nerve screamed. "We will leave as soon as I finish what we came here to do," General Kozu argued, his narrowed eyes resting on Laurie. She kicked out again, feeling the bones in her right foot ache as she hit his armored abdomen. "Now, your time has come to an end," he spat, lifting the orange ninja a little higher. "I'll see to it that your brother has a similar fate."

She was falling, the roof hitting her back hard. Gritting her teeth, Laurie looked up to see the Overlord growing smaller. Despite this, his voice rang with authority and pure rage. "No, you have ruined everything by disobeying orders. I had a vessel, Kozu. Returning to the physical realm was within my grasp." He hovered around the stone man, stopping only when he had completed a full circle. "As I stated previously, all of the energy I acquired earlier on the island has been spent. We are retreating _now_." A dark orb enveloped the two before quickly disappearing, leaving no trace of them ever being there.

"Laurie!"

The sound of her brother's voice immediately caught her attention. Laurie got to her feet and stumbled over to wear Rhea lay, motionless on the ground. She grabbed the young girl's wrist and felt for a pulse. Underneath of her fingers, the orange ninja felt a weak and thready thumping. Her ice blue eyes met Lloyd's and the two immediately had a single understanding. Rhea was dying. "Just hang on a little longer," Laurie tried, biting her bottom lip. "We can get you to a hospital. Someone will know what to do."

"No," Rhea coughed, a shaky breath escaping her lips. There was a heaviness resting in her chest as every minute passed, she could feel her heart beating slower and slower. "I wouldn't make it to a hospital anyways." Everything was numb and her vision was beginning to cloud. The two people leaning over her were nothing more than blurry patches of color. "You don't have to pretend that I'm going to be fine." Rhea's voice was small and soft as she let out another cough. Lacking the energy to raise her arms further, the young girl turned her head to the side, watching as tiny droplets of blood littered the dark roof. "I just wanted to apologize for everything I put you guys through, but also to thank you. I couldn't have asked for better friends." With that, Rhea closed her eyes and let out a shallow breath.

The orange ninja felt the weak beating of Rhea's pulse cease.

"Rhea?" Lloyd was still applying pressure to a wound that had stopped bleeding minutes prior. He threw his sweatshirt to the ground before grabbing both of the girl's shoulders. With his skin growing clammy, he gently shook Rhea, only to elicit no response. "Rhea?" he asked once more, his voice breaking slightly. Laurie brushed the young girl's bangs aside before shooting Lloyd a look and shaking her head slightly. "No," he argued, raising his voice. "She can't die! The only reason this happened was because she tried to save me!"

All of the adrenaline that had kept Laurie going had now vanished. "I-I'm so sorry, Lloyd," she whispered, watching her brother lean down to give Rhea a hug. Her muscles protested as she went to stand up, but her knees immediately buckled afterwards. Crashing to the ground, the orange ninja caught Lloyd's attention. His sullen faced appeared even more distraught. "No, don't worry about me," Laurie breathed. "I'm just all out of energy." The sun was slowly beginning to peak over the horizon, bathing Ninjago City in a faint golden light. A large shadow was cast down upon the three children and Laurie rolled over on her back to see the dragon descending. Her friends were coming.

They were all going to go home now. Well, almost everyone. Sneaking one last glance over at the blue haired girl, Laurie felt her heart ache. Despite everything that had happened, the orange ninja was sad to see Rhea's life ended so abruptly. The young girl was really just that on the inside: a young girl. Not a heartless killer, not a ruthless assassin. She was just a small girl that had taken the wrong path in life.

"Laurie, are you alright?" It was Kai, leaping over the side of the dragon and almost tripping over himself as he rushed forward. The red ninja knelt down beside the red head, grabbing one of her hands and holding it between his own. His light brown eyes skimmed over her torn dress and various injuries. "We'll get you back to the house and have Sensei Wu look at you. Hopefully nothing is serious." Without waiting for any response, Kai lifted Laurie up and embraced her tightly. "I'm just glad you're okay. I saw everything you did and it was amazing."

She could feel her consciousness slipping as Kai's spiky hair nearly took one of her eyes out. "Yeah, I'm okay," Laurie replied, watching as the edges of her vision darkened. "Get me looked at or whatever for my injuries." Her head lay down on Kai's left shoulder and she managed to whisper one last thing into his ear before she passed out. "If you really love me, Kai, you will have Nya get me out of this stupid dress as soon as possible."

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**I would be lying if I said I didn't cry while writing this. That's all I really have to say. ;-;**

**Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys next week.**


	27. Hospital Visit

**Oh my gosh, like, I'm back! I'm a day later than I usually am on updates, but I'm back! U:**

**Okay, so fair warning. This chapter contains ALL the spoilers for Packerfan95's Ninjago series. Sorry about that.**

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Hospital Visit

The sweet, warm liquid slid effortlessly down her throat, feeling like a fiery waterfall. Gripping the small tea cup with both hands, Laurie gave a small sigh. She had not been conscious for very long now, perhaps a couple of hours at most. A small disturbance on the left side of her abdomen caused Laurie to suck in a large breath. Gingerly, she transferred the cup of tea to her right hand and lifted the bottom of her tee shirt with her left hand.

Large stitches criss-crossed their way along her pale skin, successfully closing up the large wound that had been there. She could almost feel the slick metal of Rhea's weapon piercing her flesh once more, but she tried to take her mind off of it. The skin around and underneath of the stitches itched terribly, but Laurie knew that she would be chastised if she even thought about scratching anything. Lowering her shirt, the orange ninja rested her head against the wall behind her. The heat from the cup of tea was comforting in her grip.

Both the cut on her forearm and the one above her collar bone were gone. Laurie assumed that Lloyd had healed her while she had been unconscious. Why the gash on her abdomen had not been taken care of in a similar fashion was anyone's guess. Perhaps it had been severely infected or the wound had run too deep for her brother to properly close up. Closing her eyes tightly, Laurie tried to fall back to sleep, but the unwanted image of Rhea's lifeless body continued to haunt her, seemingly burned into her retinas. Initially, she thought the whole thing had been a nightmare, but after she had regained consciousness everyone had informed her otherwise.

Rhea was dead.

So many questions had flowed freely from her mouth at such an answer. It was not true, right? There was something they could do to bring her back, right? Had there been a proper burial? Inhaling deeply, Laurie opened her ice blue eyes, scanning the room around her. Everyone was gone, off at the dojo training. Well, almost everyone. Directly opposite of the orange ninja laid her brother. Lloyd's gaze was fixated on the ceiling, both arms crossed behind his head. From what she could recall, he was not very injured. Uncle had probably made him stay behind just to get some rest. Not only for his body, but for his psyche as well.

"Hey, Lloyd," the girl started, clearing her throat. She watched as he wearily turned his attention towards her. His expression was nonexistent, which sent an unwanted shiver down Laurie's spine. Never had her brother seemed so, well, depressed. "Um, how are you feeling? "

He brushed some of his ruffled, blonde hair to the side before managing to get himself into a sitting position. "I'm feeling okay," he stated plainly, scooting back along the bedspread until he rested against the wall. Lloyd focused on a discolored section of the wooden floor before continuing. "Nothing really hurts. Uncle gave me some tea to try and help a headache that I had go away. I think it's working because I really haven't noticed any more pain since drinking it. So, are you feeling alright?"

Laurie shifted uncomfortably. It did not seem like Lloyd was actually feeling okay. Maybe physically, but he just looked so sad. The bright spark in his eyes that was always alive seemed dull. "Yeah, I'm not doing so bad," the orange ninja replied, taking another sip from the porcelain cup in her right hand. "Nothing that time won't heal." Her brother only briefly nodded in response to this, crossing his arms over his chest afterwards. "You know, Lloyd, I'm terrible at lying. You know how bad I am at it, but maybe you're not good at lying either." This caught his attention, his emerald eyes immediately locking with her own. "You're not 'feeling okay', you're just not. You can tell me what's wrong if you want to. There's no need to hide things."

The air in the room seemed to grow thick with unwanted tension. "She's dead, Laurie," Lloyd sighed, bringing his knees up to his chest. "You didn't see it, but I did. Kai was carrying you towards the dragon and then her body…it just started to glow. I remember thinking that maybe she wasn't really dead. Maybe she was going to come back, but I was wrong. The light from her body was too intense. I closed my eyes and when I opened them again Rhea was just gone. There was no trace of her anywhere." Laurie watched as her brother rested his chin on his knees. "It was almost like she was a ghost or something, just vanishing like that." He blinked hard, forcing back the unwanted sensation of tears building up behind his eyes. It all reminded him so much of someone else; another person who had sacrificed themselves up on the exact same rooftop.

Placing the cup of tea on the small, wooden nightstand beside her bed, Laurie went to walk over to her brother. As soon as she shifted herself to stand up, the girl collapsed to the floor. Pain shot through her right ankle and a small cry escaped her lips. Lloyd was on the floor within in an instant, gradually helping his sister get back on her feet. Gingerly, Laurie raised her right foot, refusing to put any more weight on it. Through the light hue of her orange pants, she could now make out the white bandages wrapped around her ankle. "Wait, what's wrong with it?" she asked suddenly, surprised by this injury.

"I don't know what you did, but Zane took a good look at it," Lloyd replied, feeling Laurie wobble slightly as she tried to balance on one leg. She placed a hand on his right shoulder and gripped tightly, trying not to fall. "He said that it was badly sprained, so it's not broken. Doesn't mean that it's not going to hurt for a while though." Lloyd helped his sister back up on to her bed before searching around the room. "I know he got crutches and put them somewhere…"

A sprained ankle? Laurie lifted up the legs of her pants and compared both appendages. Well, her right ankle was more swollen than her left one, even underneath of the bandages. Lightly, she pressed a single finger down on the red and inflamed skin. A small wave of pain radiated outwards and Laurie shivered. She remembered how it had happened though. It had been really stupid of her to try and kick a man that was made entirely of stone. This was the price she paid for it now. Lloyd rushed over with a set of metal crutches held awkwardly in his arms. "Here," he said, leaning the objects against the side of the bed. "They'll help you walk."

"Thanks," Laurie smiled, using one of the crutches to help her get upright once more. Grabbing onto the handles, the orange ninja transferred the padded tops of the objects underneath of her arms. This felt all too familiar. A memory surfaced of her hobbling down to the park in the middle of the city on a pair of crutches and finding Kai sitting by himself on a bench. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to extract the details from that day. Kai had been so careful and sad; his expression similar to what Lloyd looked like now. The red ninja thought that he had lost someone, just like Lloyd did now. "I have a feeling I'll be able to maneuver myself around on these things pretty quickly. There was one thing I wanted to talk to you about, Lloyd." He stood silently before his sister, waiting for her to finish her train of thought. "You gave me an ultimatum before everything went crazy at the Ninjago City Tower. You told me that you would answer my questions if we made it out of there."

Lloyd's eyes widened, but she could not tell if it was from utter disbelief or excitement. "I did say that, didn't I?" the boy managed to say, staring up at his sister.

A grin spread itself along Laurie's freckled face and she tucked a few strands of loose her behind one of her ears. "Yes, you did. I was wondering if now would be a good time for you to keep your end of the deal." She was hoping that this would help him, get his mind off of everything that occurred the day before. Almost instantaneously, that devious spark returned to his emerald irises and Laurie felt a surge of happiness well up inside of her. "I'll take that as a 'yes' then. So, this Lucas guy you were talking about earlier, why didn't he stay with you guys? Did he just try and teach you how to master his element and then leave?"

"No, that wasn't what happened at all," the green ninja rebutted. "Lucas didn't even leave. He's still here, just at the hospital." This elicited a blank stare from his sister and he gave a small chuckle. "Oh, you didn't expect that then, did you?" His gaze rested upon the clock that sat on his sister's bedside table. It was early in the afternoon so the day was still very young. "You know what, why don't we just go pay him a visit? I'll fill you in on some things while we make our way to the hospital."

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She was still having a hard time trying to wrap her brain around all of the information that Lloyd had given her. One thing in particular stood out among the others. This guy was her cousin. Laurie was gripping her crutches tightly, leaning back against the window sill and just staring. She felt like she did not belong here, truly an outsider. Lloyd had pulled up a chair beside the hospital bed and was resting his head in his hands, holding a one sided conversation with the boy. Sorry, with their cousin. The word seemed so foreign and odd. Laurie did not know how long it would take her to be able to actually say it out loud.

Lucas lay motionless in the bed, his chest rising and falling softly in time to a beeping monitor that sat off to his left. Wires wound their way out of the machine and disappeared underneath of the boy's grey tee shirt. Ugh, her _cousin's_ tee shirt. This was just way too weird. Lloyd had told her that he was in a coma and had only been that way shortly before she herself had arrived in the city. It was all her father's fault too. There was no surprise there though. It seemed that he could not just be content with ruining her immediate family's lives. No, he had to branch out to the extended family as well.

Her cousin had been in a very similar situation to her own. Lucas had been trained by her father to become a ninja and was burdened with the task of taking Lloyd away from the others. He had almost helped her father turn Lloyd to the dark side with a small vile of the Great Devourer's venom. Now, Laurie personally had no idea what that even meant, but form the way Lloyd talked about it, it seemed like the venom was some bad stuff. Uncle had showed up at the last minute though, forced Lucas to drink one of those weird teas that he likes to rely on, and helped him remember who he actually was.

Thankfully, his true self was a nice guy.

He saved everyone and left Garmadon to live and train with the ninja. Now Laurie thought that had been a nice enough story, but she was wrong. There was no giving up, especially from her father. Barely a month later, Garmadon to take a different approach to get Lloyd back. He caught the ninja and managed to corrupt them with the same venom he tried to use on Lloyd. With new followers to do his bidding, her father had sent them out to catch both Lloyd and Lucas. In the end, Lucas managed to save everyone by giving himself back over to Garmadon. Lloyd had looked upset when he recounted the tale on the way to the hospital. Of course, it worsened as he began concluding the tale.

Working once more for her father, Lucas went around collecting shards for an ancient mirror that release evil into Ninjago on the Summer Solstice. Despite everything that happened to him, he managed save all of Ninjago by closing the void the mirror had created. Of course, her father did not play fair. In a dirty attempt to take her Uncle's life, Lucas sacrificed himself instead. Now, Lloyd was not sure exactly how he came back to life, but it had something to do with needing to fulfill his destiny and protect Lloyd. It all went smoothly from there, until her father's Mega Weapon brought back a deceased pirate crew which everyone fought against on the Bounty. Lloyd had accidently knocked over a mast while trying to attack the adversaries and it fell on Lucas.

She felt bad for her brother. He felt as if it was all his fault, but Laurie could see otherwise. Sometimes things just happened because someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lloyd did seem happier though, just being next to his cousin. Laurie also felt a little stupid for not initially recognizing Lucas. She had seen him once before, in a photograph that had been inside of the pocket watch that she had discovered underneath of Lloyd's bed. Everything made sense now and the orange ninja could tell that Lloyd was not keeping anything from her anymore. With a small sigh, she turned to look outside of the window behind her.

The sun was beating down upon the city and the rays were warming the glass. Feeling a little tired again, Laurie laid her cheek against the smooth, glass and just gazed out along the city. Towering skyscrapers and the bustle of traffic were interrupted by a single insect that scared Laurie to death. A small, butterfly flew in front of the girl, successfully blocking everything else from view. The Ninja of Wind held back a strangled gasp of surprise as she noticed her heart rate increasing. Stupid thing did not need to fly so close to the window. The butterfly repeatedly ran into the glass, making no sound as it tried to make its presence known. "Sheesh," Laurie whispered, lifting the bottom of the window frame up slowly. "Why do you want to get inside so badly?"

A gentle breeze entered the hospital room as the butterfly floated inside. It landed on Laurie's shoulder, fluttering its lavender wings quickly before leaving its perch. Finding it all a little odd, the red head watched as the insect lazily made its way over to Lloyd and Lucas. "Hey, stop," Laurie hissed, knowing full well that a butterfly would not be able to understand her. "Leave them alone." She hobbled forward on her crutches, following the psychotic insect.

Lloyd saw it out of the corner of his eye. A small butterfly was gliding around the bed, descending slowly from the ceiling. "What?" he asked slowly, not fully grasping how a butterfly managed to get into the room; almost transfixed by the tiny insect, the green ninja watched as it softly landed on the tip of Lucas' nose. "Hey, get off of him! Shoo!" Lloyd waved his hands by the butterfly and watched as it immediately took flight, heading back in the direction it had come from. "Stupid thing," he sighed, turning back towards his cousin before gasping.

Lucas blinked slowly, seemingly attempting to get a better bearing of his surroundings. Shortly afterwards, his hazel grey eyes met Lloyd's and the teenager gave a smile. "Well hey there, Shrimp," he chuckled, leaning forward to ruffle the boy's blonde hair. Lloyd lunged forward, pulling his cousin into a tight embrace, small lines of tears streaking down his face. Lucas returned the hug, rubbing Lloyd's back in the process.

Laurie looked on in utter shock as the two boys hugged one another. It almost seemed to be a miracle. Lloyd had told her that Lucas had been in a coma for a little over four months now. This was probably the last thing the green ninja had expected to happen today, but Laurie was so happy for him. The lavender butterfly flew back towards Laurie and the teenager held a finger out, allowing the insect to perch. Its minuscule legs tickled skin as it walked and the butterfly folded its wings up as it started to turn back in the direction of Lloyd and Lucas. A small, star-shaped mark adorned the underside of its right wing and Laurie just smiled. "I don't know what you did, but you sure made Lloyd's day," the orange ninja smiled. Heading back towards the window, Laurie held her left hand out and watched as the butterfly took off, flying back out over the city. "Thanks."

"Laurie! Laurie, its Lucas. He woke up!" Lloyd shouted, breaking free from his cousin's grip and sprinting over towards the window. The orange ninja turned herself back around slowly, nearly placing her right foot on the ground in the process. Her brother was tugging on her orange jacket, practically dragging her across the floor. "He's awake, can you believe it?"

She looked over at the unfamiliar family member with who she had only recently been given a history lesson on. He raised a scarred eyebrow slightly and Laurie felt nervous. Her cousin did not know who she was and she felt awkward even being in the same room as him right now. Laurie felt as if she should just leave and let Lloyd spend some alone time with him, but her brother was just so excited, she felt as if she needed to stay. "Um…hi" she said awkwardly, giving a small wave. "I-I'm Laurie, Lloyd's sister."

There was almost a look of recognition in Lucas' eyes and Laurie took a small step backwards. "So it's you then," her cousin stated plainly, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips. "You're the second guardian."

* * *

**Thank you Packerfan95 for allowing me to use Lucas because it was a lot more fun to write about him than I thought it would be.**

**I'm aiming to update again next Friday, but it may be a little late. I have, like, two exams this upcoming week so it's going to be really, really hectic. Bye! :D**


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